


Epidemic

by without_mission



Category: Glee
Genre: Bottom!Finn, Disease, Drug Addiction, Hallucinations, M/M, Minor Character Death, Pseudo-Incest, Running from the law, Violence, epidemic, freaky dreams, gore(?), original character deaths, super powers, supposed suicides
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-12
Updated: 2017-04-01
Packaged: 2017-12-14 18:09:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 28
Words: 187,304
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/839826
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/without_mission/pseuds/without_mission
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Post Furt.<br/>Finn loses his perception of reality and is institutionalized after putting his life and others in danger. Oddly the only way to get rid of the hallucinations is for Kurt to touch him in some way. With the help of Suzy Pepper, now a ghost and casualty of the increase in suicide ratings across the country, they run away to find answers to his illness that turns out to be a disease that's afflicting kids their age. What they find are much darker truths.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The First Sign of Going Nuts

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is so far twenty four chapters long, but I will be re-editing each rather than posting them all in one hit. It's actually almost complete (after like three years cuz I suck...), so I hope you guys enjoy it! Also, if anyone's up for it, I would really appreciate a beta because no matter how much I edit, I always miss something.

...

  
Chapter One  
  
The First Sign of Going Nuts  
  
...  
  
It was a dream house with a white picket fence, a luscious green lawn with roses, sunflowers and hydrangea's. There was a large oak tree by the right window with a makeshift swing and a soccer ball nestled by its roots. The house itself was painted white with a beautiful porch and a welcome mat at the foot of the door. This was the ideal family home.  
  
That is until you notice the blood stained ax pierced into the wooded floor of the porch, the door hanging on its last hinge, the rips torn into the screen door, and of course, the stray finger lying innocently on the welcome mat.  
  
Finn was assigned to investigate the house under the panicked phone calls from neighbors.  
  
They said they heard screams, things being smashed and a strange shrieking cry of something that couldn't be human.  
  
As he approached the porch with his partner, he took out his gun and readied it for any possible action. From the corner of his eye he could see his partner do the same.  
  
"Third time this week, Hudson," he said with a sad note. "What the hell's going on?"  
  
They cautiously stepped through the slowly swinging door, their guns being their eyes for them.  
  
The stench of death was unbearable.  
  
As un-foreboding as the house was upon first sight, the inside was anything but.  
  
What greeted them a few feet from the door was a decapitated body tied to a chair with cables, his head resting on his lap, the eye lids ripped off with the eyeballs permanently glaring ahead. Finn felt sick, his partner swore colorfully behind him.  
  
"…Anyone…there?...Help…help…!"  
  
The two turned to the sound and rushed from the trashed living room to the kitchen. The killer had fun in here. He or she made full use of the kitchen equipment, especially the blender, which was lying sideways on the counter. Finn was going to take a wild guess that wasn't raspberry sauce staining the jar.  
  
"Hummel wait," he waved for his partner to stop from lowering his gun. "Hello?"  
  
"Help…help!" there was someone clawing at the floor behind the counter. "Help me please," she sobbed weakly.  
  
The two cops rushed around the counter and swore in unison. She was blond, Barbie pretty, probably sixteen. And she was missing a hand, a leg, and an eye. Her cheerleading uniform was soaked through in her own blood. Finn was shocked she was still alive.  
  
Quinn Fabray. That name rang in his head. He never met her before, but he was sure that was her name. He knelt down, pulling out his walkie-talkie while at the same time telling her that help would come. They needed an ambulance ASAP.  
  
"Finn wait!" his partner grabbed his shoulder and tried pulling him back. Confused Finn looked away from his walkie-talkie in time to catch Quinn's face melting off to reveal bloody muscles and a manic grin. With inhuman strength, she shot up and reached for his neck with nine inch razor sharp claws –  
  
…  
  
He gasped and turned over his bed in surprise. His messy bedroom basked in morning sunlight felt unreal to him for the first few minutes. He still felt he had to run from danger and report to headquarters before realizing he wasn't a cop, Quinn wasn't some crazy monster, and his life wasn't in danger.  
  
He was just plain old Finn Hudson, an average teenager with an average high school life, in little old boring Lima, Ohio.  
  
Finn sighed in relief, sinking back in his brand new bed. It was moments like these that he loved boring.  
  
Not a second later, his alarm clock buzzed on. He shut it off with a groan.  
  
It was Monday. He hated Mondays.  
  
…  
  
Burt and Carole had gone ahead to work, but Kurt was in the kitchen when Finn came down. It had been about a week since they moved into the new house. There were still boxes to be emptied, the smell of new clinging to the air. There was even plastic wrapping and manuals on some of their new kitchen appliances. They weren't sure how they managed to get the house at such a low price. They considered themselves very lucky.  
  
"Morning," Finn greeted to his new stepbrother, walking to the fridge with the plastic wrapping still on the handle. He pulled out the two percent milk Kurt insisted on getting, and grabbed Apple Jacks from the top of the fridge.  
  
"Morning," Kurt greeted back, he was enjoying two slices of whole wheat toast and jam while reading a textbook from whatever class he was taking at Dalton. Finn stared at the navy blue uniform; it somehow made the other boy seem so much smaller than he already was.  
  
"I still can't believe you're going to another school," he mumbled, sitting across from him, serving himself a bowl of cereal.  
  
"I still can't believe you're still saying that," Kurt shot back with a wry grin, not looking up from his book.  
  
Realizing he forgot a spoon, Finn reached behind him for the silverware drawer.  
  
There was a green little elf with blood shot eyes and sharp teeth standing over the counter and glowering right at him.  
  
"What the fuck!" Finn shot back, almost toppling over his chair.  
  
"What?" Kurt looked up, startled. He looked to where Finn was gawking, but found nothing but an empty counter. "What is it?"  
  
"There's a…with fangs and…" he looked from the elf to his stepbrother, "you can see it right?"  
  
Kurt squinted at the bare counter, then at Finn and shook his head. "Is this a morning ritual for you?"  
  
"No!" he peered at the elf and rubbed his eyes. The elf smirked and licked its lips. Nope, it was still there. "How do you not see that, dude? It's right there!" he was waving at it, but not touching it for fear those sharp little fangs would bite at him.  
  
"Finn, I don't see anything!" Kurt didn't know whether to be annoyed or worried. There was a good chance that the other boy was messing with him.  
  
He'd better not be messing with him.  
  
With an exasperated sigh, he got up and waved his hand around the spot Finn was pointing. "I don't feel anything, there's nothing there."  
  
Finn winced when Kurt's hand went to smack the elf, but when it went through it, he blinked in surprise. "But…"  
  
"Here," Kurt grabbed his hand and pulled it to the elf. Except the elf was no longer there. It vanished as soon as Kurt touched him. "See? Nothing…" the small teen frowned at the genuinely shocked look on Finn. The small spark of worry grew. "You were joking, weren't you?"  
  
Finn was still staring at the empty spot. He'd been so sure there was something there. He must have not been getting much sleep. He looked up at Kurt, he was giving him that odd look that basically spelled out he thought Finn was crazy. "Yeah…I was joking."  
  
He was still giving him that look, still holding Finn's hand.  
  
Finn didn't like that look. "I'm not crazy," he pulled his hand away.  
  
Kurt huffed, returning to his seat, "I'm sorry, you suddenly say you're seeing things that I can't see, what else do you expect me to think?"  
  
That was true. "But I'm still not – "  
  
"Okay," Kurt waved him off, "you probably haven't been getting enough sleep, we've moved to a new home after all, we're still adjusting," he settled back into his book.  
  
Finn furtively glanced back at the counter. The elf didn't return. He uneasily went back to his cereal. He was going to sleep as soon as he returned from school.  
  
…  
  
School for the most part dragged on as it usually would with its dull classes, occasional bullying and gossip. And of course the slushie to the face. Finn managed to make it through the day without getting slushied by the time glee came rolling around. He also gratefully forgot about what happened this morning.  
  
With Kurt gone, Mr. Schue had to set up their songs a different way to survive without their diva. With sectionals fast approaching, they had to practice harder and longer to get their performance right.  
  
Before he even reached the classroom he was attacked by a mass of silky black hair and curvy hips. He hugged his girlfriend back with a laugh. They shared a quick kiss, but when they parted he was staring at a Labrador dog face with a black wig. His face fell.  
  
The Labrador cocked its head cutely to the side, wagging its tail excitedly. "Finn?" it said in Rachel's sweet voice.  
  
He shook his head and blinked several times. The dog transformed back into his girlfriend, who was frowning lightly at him, through still smiling a little. "Sorry, I thought I saw…" he thought quickly, "a piece of ham on your face…"  
  
Rachel gasped in horror, and felt around her face in a panic.  
  
"It's gone! I guess I'm just hungry," he laughed sheepishly. Rachel pouted, but still felt over her forehead for any pieces of deli food. They entered the classroom, the other members filing in behind them.  
  
The strange creatures didn't appear all through the meeting.  
  
…  
  
The drive back home was one Finn would never forget. The new house was farther from the school in order to accomodate Kurt's distance to Dalton since he wasn't really willing to dorm after the family just got together. Unfortunately for Finn, he got lost twice getting to and from school, but eventually he remembered that his house wasn't to the left of the road anymore, it was to the right.  
  
What made the drive unforgettable this time, though, was the random chaos going on outside. There were bears dressed up like people, walking around toting suitcases or backpacks, one even fist pounded with a giant guinea pig. There were also dragons and pterodactyls flying around houses, and knights riding their horses past his car.  
  
Finn was more than convinced that he needed sleep, so when he got home, he went straight to bed.  
  
…  
  
They were in the middle ring of the stage, or rather, small stadium. Chasing each other while juggling bowling pins and colorful balls, their comically big red shoes squeaking funnily with every step they took.  
  
Eventually Kurt tripped and fell, which made Finn fall over him. The crowd roared with laughter. The two clowns fumbled to their feet and really started chasing each other, running through hula hoops, cannons, see-saws, and trampolines. They fell over each other, yelling gibberish and making obnoxious noises. Finn almost grabbed Kurt's colorful wig when there was a sudden gun shot.  
  
The two clowns looked at each other. This wasn't part of the act. A small toy car drove up from the shadows of the curtains, pulling to a stop in front of them. They looked at it curiously.  
  
A tiny door clicked open and a huge black shoe pushed out as if the car were inflating a balloon. Following the foot was a leg, then a white gloved hand, the jingling top of a jester's hat, an eye, a nose, mouth, and then…  
  
He was standing before them.  
  
It wasn't one of their clowns. The Gleeful Circus focused on happy smiling clowns with colorful wigs, red noses and goofy giggles, this guy was the exact opposite. He was all black and white, with white makeup, a black highly arched eyebrow, and a black frowning mouth. The only thing colorful on him was the red teardrop below his right eye.  
  
Finn and Kurt looked at each other, should they continue their act?  
  
The sad clown made some weird movements with his hands, magically producing a pair of glasses. He put them on delicately, and gave the two confused clowns a smile. Finn frowned, he looked familiar.  
  
Then the sad clown reached behind him and pulled out a pistol.  
  
Pointing it straight at Finn.  
  
"I can walk now," the sad clown grinned.  
  
He fired.  
  
…  
  
Finn woke with a start, his chest still in pain from the shock. Taking deep breathes; he patted his chest, feeling for blood. There was nothing but his sweat drenched shirt. Confused, he looked around.  
  
The circus melted away, he was in his room again. And there was a giant goose standing beside him.  
  
"Honey, you were just having a nightmare," it said before flapping its wings a little.  
  
Don't freak out, he told himself.  
  
The goose smiled warmly, patting his shoulder, "come on, it's time for dinner."  
  
"Will there be fish?" he blurted out, so bewildered he didn't know what else to say. The goose gave him an odd look before laughing and shaking its head.  
  
"Not tonight, but I can make some tomorrow if you want," she pat his arm again, and flew out of his bedroom.  
  
That was his mom wasn't it?  
  
Finn shakily wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, rubbing his eyes tiredly and hesitantly left his room as well.  
  
When he entered the kitchen there was the goose sitting by the table, a bear beside it, and Kurt across from them. They were waiting patiently for him.  
  
"Have a good nap?" Kurt asked, completely cool with the two animals at their table.  
  
"Um…" Don't freak out. Don't freak out. "Yeah…" he cautiously sat next to his stepbrother. He couldn't help but continue staring at the bear and the goose, who were glancing at each other oddly, like he was the weird one. Kurt was looking at him strangely too.  
  
The ex-cheerio touched his arm, "Finn?"  
  
Immediately, the bear and goose vanished leaving behind Burt and Carole who were now looking very worried. Finn tried not to look too relieved. He let out a short laugh, "I'm fine!"  
  
While it put everyone at ease now that he was inhaling his food as usual, they continued throwing him looks of concern. Kurt especially.  
  
All the while Finn's head was spinning. He should have gotten enough sleep from that nap, why was he still seeing things? The last time this happened he had stayed up for three days for a bet against Puck. He started seeing purple chickens flying around and his mother forced him to bed when she caught him trying to imitate them.  
  
Those chickens didn't seem as real as the stuff he was seeing now.  
  
He couldn't be going crazy could he? He was a healthy guy, he ate his vegetables, fiber, carbs, he exercised, he had the occasional bag of chips…well, he had to admit that most of his daily intake was junk food, but that couldn't be the reason he was starting to see things. He wasn't doing drugs either, so that was out.  
  
What the hell was going on?  
  
He didn't have that much of an appetite, but he ate enough to satisfy his mother. Finn glanced up at the quietly eating woman and his stepfather. As much as this was freaking him out, he couldn't tell them, they'd probably send him to a shrink, and as soon as word got out, people would start thinking he was crazy.  
  
Besides, this was probably only a one day thing. Tomorrow everything would go back to normal. Everything would be fine.  
  
…  
  
The next day he woke up to decapitated children singing around his bed, tossing their heads to each other like some morbid version of hot potato, their blood spilling all over him.  
  
It didn't last long. Thanks to his screams, Kurt burst into his room and held him to calm him down. The children vanished.  
  
"What happened?" Kurt asked, pulling away now that Finn's hysterics had quieted to deep breaths and shuddering.  
  
"I – I just had a nightmare," he slipped out of bed and hurried to the bathroom. Kurt made to follow him, but he shut the door and locked it. Rushing to the toilet he emptied whatever undigested food was in his stomach, which wasn't much.  
  
"Maybe you shouldn't go to school today," Kurt's muffled voice called through the door, "you've been acting weird since yesterday."  
  
"I'm fine!" and then of course another wave of nausea overtook him and he hurled into the toilet again.  
  
"Finn, you're puking, I consider that a sign of illness," he could almost see him roll his eyes behind the door, "I'll go call the school."  
  
The last bits of bile left his mouth and plopped into the now more than smelly water. Finn shakily reached up and flushed, resting his cheek against the cool seat tiredly.  
  
Sleeping didn't work. He was still seeing things. They were much scarier than yesterday too. Finn shut his eyes, punching the gleaming tiled floor beneath him in frustration. Why was this happening to him?  
  
He was losing it. He was really losing it.  
  
He buried his face in his hands, unable to stop the quiet sobs wracking out of him.


	2. Alice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finn meets a girl named Alice.

...

 

Chapter Two

Alice

...

 

It was the first time Finn was afraid of being home alone. After Kurt called the school, he pushed him back in bed with an order to go to sleep, get proper rest and drink lots of liquids. With the horrible image of the headless children still fresh in his mind, Finn was afraid he would see something worse if he was left by himself. He didn't want Kurt to leave him.

But after Kurt gave him a childish pat on the head, and urged to him to sleep, he didn't see anything weird for hours, and eventually he did go to sleep.

He didn't dream of anything this time. He didn't know what time it was when he woke up, but when he did all he saw was a corpse with dried out hair, rotting skin, glaring eyes and maggots crawling out of its mouth.

"Honey?" the corpse reached out to him, its putrid bony fingers crackling nastily. It sounded like his mother. Finn shut his eyes and counted to ten, forcing himself to stay calm. He was still dreaming, it would go away when he'd open his eyes.

He slowly opened his eyes, but the corpse was still there.

"Are you feeling any better?" its hand touched his forehead, dead skin chipping off and falling over his face, the rancid smell of death invading his senses, "you still look a little sick."

He wanted to scream, but he lost his voice. He tried to move, but his body was paralyzed. Before the corpse came any closer, Kurt rushed in breathlessly with a bag of medicine.

"Hey, how's he doing? I bought some medicine," he was by Finn's side in an instant, "feeling any better?" he pressed his warm palm against the frozen teen's forehead.

The corpse disappeared, Carole taking its place, looking very anxious. Finn was so relieved that he let out a big sigh and leaned against his stepbrother, who had taken it upon himself to sit beside him.

Carole and Kurt exchanged looks.

Realizing he was acting weird, Finn quickly sat up and gave his mother a smile, "I'm fine, you just startled me. Is dinner ready?"

His mother raised her eyebrows in surprise before laughing cheerfully, "I made chicken noodle soup, I'll bring it up."

"No, I'll go downstairs, I'm tired of lying in bed all day," he pulled away his sheets and slipped out of bed. Seeing that her son had recovered, Carole smiled and left for the kitchen. The two boys followed her downstairs.

Finn looked around cautiously. There were no little elves, dressed bears or headless children wandering about. He didn't expect their presence.

The quarterback furtively glanced at his stepbrother. He didn't have the answer for why he was suddenly seeing things, but for some reason they seemed to disappear whenever he touched Kurt. What was also weird was that the short teen always remained the same whenever Finn started seeing things.

He was still riding on the hope that eventually the images or visions, whatever they were, would stop. In the mean time, he had to be sure that he touched Kurt as much as possible. A pat to the head would be enough.

What mattered most, though, was that no one, especially his mother and Burt, would never find out what was happening to him. Finn heard nightmare stories of kids who went to see the shrink, the teasing they got, the looks of pity, and whispers behind their backs. He did not want to be a part of that list. No. He could fix this on his own.

He wasn't crazy. He couldn't be.

…

Mr. Schue walked around the classroom handing out sheet music for everyone to practice. He wanted to step out of his comfort zone, do something that the club could be happy with. It was too late to change the songs for sectionals, but regionals was still far away, they could do whatever they wanted.

Rachel, of course, suggested songs Finn or half the group couldn't recognize, and was shot down pretty quickly. Everyone else spouted songs at each other as well until they settled on three songs that weren't trashy, too girly, or too manly.

Finn was pretty sure Kurt would have protested to the worlds end with the list of songs they chose. Even Mr. Schue was reluctant to do the songs; they were just too weird and risky.

That wasn't what was bothering Finn at the moment though. What was grasping his attention was the gigantic fly the size of an average backpack perched over Mr. Schue's head and slowly eating his face.

It had been a week and Finn was still seeing things.

As much as he tried to ignore the bizarre creatures or monsters, they were too real to look away from. Which was why he hadn't had a solo for a while. He was too distracted to sing like he used to. Sam was now taking his lead role.

He gave his girlfriend a glance, hoping the horns poking through her skin like acne had disappeared. She gave him a smile, her skin cracking as more horns grew out. Finn looked away.

These hallucinations. They weren't drifting away, they were becoming stronger. It was interfering with his life. He couldn't play football without being afraid that the football would bite him, he couldn't sing because he was so distracted, he couldn't kiss his girlfriend because she had huge fangs, and he couldn't even talk to his friends because they were too scary to look at.

There was no way no one didn't notice his change in behavior. They always asked him what was wrong, but he just couldn't tell them. Telling them that he was seeing things was as bad as telling his parents. He didn't want them to think he was going crazy. He was fine! He was just…seeing things…

But he was fine. He had Kurt to take the visions away; he would survive a few hours of seeing monsters.

"Finn?" Mr. Schue was at his side, his bug eaten hand on his shoulder. Finn jerked in surprise. Now his teacher's face was nothing but a skull, "is everything all right?"

'Don't touch me,' he wanted to say, wishing this 'thing' would go away. Instead he nodded, looking away, not having the courage to smile convincingly. The others had grouped together to practice their songs, so they didn't notice Mr. Schue talking to Finn.

"You haven't been acting yourself lately, during school your fine, but in glee meetings you're all tense and quiet, I gave practically all the solos to Sam, you should have been protesting by now," the Spanish teacher said in that quiet concerned tone, "not that I'm saying I want you to, I just find it a bit strange. You know you can come to me if you need someone to talk to right?"

Of all people, he really didn't want to tell his teacher, who was like a father to him, that he was seeing things. As cool as Mr. Schue was, he knew the man would send him straight to a shrink. He didn't need a shrink; he needed Kurt, as weird as that sounded. Why the hell did Kurt transfer now of all times!

"I just need some sleep," he replied easily. It was the same excuse he'd been using since the start of the hallucinations, and he knew damn well that wasn't the case anymore. "I'm fine."

Mr. Schue wasn't convinced, and he wasn't dropping the subject, "Finn, you've said that all week, how much sleep are you getting?"

"Not a lot," he lied. He'd actually been going to bed around eight, much to the surprise of his family. It wasn't because he was convinced that sleep would get rid of the visions, it was because he was worn out from seeing the monsters and scary images. Kurt may have been able to get rid of them for a few short hours, but they'd always pop up again in the middle of the day when he was still in school.

Mr. Schue sighed, and although he was concerned, Finn couldn't see that expression through the grinning skull staring back at him. "Okay, I'm letting you go home early, there's not much to practice right now, so it's not a big deal." Finn thankfully grabbed his bag and stood up. Mr. Schue patted his shoulder, "get some rest, glee needs you."

Nodding, he left, not noticing the rest of the glee members staring after him with worry.

"So?" Rachel asked Mr. Schue, "did he say anything?"

The Spanish teacher shook his head. "No, you saw him, he was terrified. Are you sure he hasn't said anything to you?"

Rachel shook her head; the pain she'd been feeling ever since her boyfriend started acting weird finally showing through. "We should tell his parents, I'm starting to think this is serious." At this almost everyone started protesting.

"Are you kidding me, he'd flip," Puck argued, "if he did that to me I'd kill him!"

"No, I agree that it sounds like tattling, but I'm getting worried too," Mr. Schue said darkly, "he might not be having problems but…you guys have seen the news right?" The group silenced. "Right now we can't take things too lightly, I'll feel much better if we tell his parents about his behavior even if it really is just some sleep deprivation."

There was an uncomfortable silence as everyone reluctantly tried to see that they had no choice in the matter. It was true they were worried for their friend, but to tell his parents on him not only made them feel like tattlers, it made the situation more real, that maybe there really was something seriously wrong with Finn.

"What about Kurt?" Artie suggested quietly, "He's Finn's family now right? Maybe he can do something to help him." Mr. Schue opened his mouth to argue, but bespectacled teen continued, "It's not that I don't want to tell his parents, I mean, if it's not that bad, we can fix this without worrying them, Mr. Hummel did have a heart attack recently you know. And I don't want to sound like a know-it-all but," he shook his head, "I don't think Finn would go that far like those kids in the news."

"That's true," Mr. Schue said uncertainly, "I'll give you guys a day, if Finn's not back to normal by then, I'm calling his parents."

The club nodded happily. With their argument won, they returned to practice, the only one not paying much attention though was Rachel.

She had a really bad feeling.

…

He found Kurt in the living room when he came home. Relieved to see him, Finn hurriedly grabbed his shoulder, the scorpions and snakes crawling around the walls and floors vanishing. His stepbrother jumped in surprise.

"Finn! You scared the shit out of me!" he shouted angrily, smacking his hand away.

Too relieved to finally have normalcy returned, Finn just laughed at Kurt and went to the kitchen, the smaller teen's swearing trailing after him. The day had worn him out, he needed a snack.

Huffing, Kurt got out of his comfortable position from the couch and entered the kitchen, "why do you have the need to do that?"

"Do what?" he pulled out a hot pocket from the freezer and opened the package. He set about getting it in the microwave. Kurt almost stomped his foot.

"Every time you come home you always grab me whenever I don't notice and scare the crap out of me," he crossed his arms, "I'll be suffering from paranoia by the end of the week!"

Finn winced; he didn't mean to frighten his stepbrother. "I like scaring you," he said lamely, "It's fun…"

Kurt arched an eyebrow, "if you're going to lie, you might as well try to sound convincing." Finn laughed sheepishly. "Look, if you're going to greet me every time you come home from school, at least do it when I see you, I prefer to have my nerves intact."

Embarrassed, Finn nodded mutely. Satisfied, Kurt went back to the living room, mumbling something about 'crazy jock's'.

With the world back to normal at least for a few hours, Finn grabbed his hot pocket once it was hot and ready, and left for his bedroom. He needed to continue researching about his problem, maybe he missed something.

He wasn't the greatest researcher in the world, but he knew not to trust Wikipedia or sketchy sites that looked like a four year old created it. As much as he hated it, he found most of his information on hospital sites, and places solely dedicated to mental health. All sources pointed to a series of illnesses that didn't serve to put any cheer in Finn.

Schizophrenia. Dementia. Epilepsy. Brain Cancer.

They all said to go to a mental health professional in order to cure the problem or at least help him deal with it. Brain Cancer was the most frightening of all, so he looked it up and was relieved to see that he didn't have any other symptoms related to it. He was pretty sure he didn't have Epilepsy either.

What was strange was that his only problem was hallucinations. Nothing else was wrong with him, he could think clearly, his motor senses were perfect, his memory was…well it wasn't perfect, but it wasn't severe either. What's more, why was Kurt the only person who could take away the hallucinations through touch? Nothing in his research explained that.

Finn leaned back in his chair. He couldn't lose hope yet. There must be something he missed. Perhaps he ate something old or had an allergic reaction to something in the house. This whole thing started after moving into the new house after all, maybe ghosts were possessing him.

He didn't know when he fell asleep, but he woke up to a hand gently shaking his shoulder, his face pressed against the keyboard. At first he was scared that it would be another monster, what with that always being his wake up call. He looked up and visibly relaxed. It was Kurt.

"What is it?" he mumbled, rubbing his eyes. He could feel the indentations of the keyboard on the side of his face. He hadn't meant to fall asleep.

"Dinner's in a few minutes," Kurt said softly, watching him closely. "Rachel visited. She says you've been acting weird in glee meetings?"

Finn stiffened. Shit. "What do you mean?"

Kurt crossed his arms, "I don't know, she said you weren't acting like yourself, is it true you haven't gotten even one solo?"

Finn shrugged nonchalantly, "I can't be in the spotlight all the time, I'm cool with it."

His stepbrother nodded. There was still something strange in his eyes. He watched Finn as he stood up and stretched. Rachel had said more than her boyfriend acting weird. She was pretty good at putting ideas into people's heads, and even though Kurt was sure nothing was wrong with Finn, for the whole glee club to be concerned made him give it a second thought.

"Finn," his stepbrother turned to him, rubbing his indented face grumpily. "I know we're not that close and I'm probably worrying over nothing, but we're family now and…if there's anything bothering you, you know I'm here right?"

His worry quickly disarmed when Finn gave him a smile, "yeah, I know. I'm fine, though" he gave his shoulder a squeeze before leaving the room, "what's for dinner?"

Grinning, Kurt followed Finn, "there's steamed vegetables, baked rosemary chicken, and –"

"Vegetables?" Finn whined.

"Don't complain, a growing boy needs his veggies," Kurt teased motherly.

…

When Finn went downstairs to the kitchen the next morning he discovered that Kurt wasn't there. He wasn't in the living room, in his room, or even outside. Finn was starting to panic. Kurt never left early for school.

Should he call out for him? He wouldn't sound too scared if he did, right?

He went upstairs again. The black and white clown he dreamt of days ago stood in the middle of hallway, black lips turned up in a secretive grin.

"He's not here," he said softly, "he left early."

Finn froze. He remembered this clown clearly, the one who killed him in his dream. The teen hesitantly took a step back. "L-leave me alone," he trembled.

The clown straightened up in surprise before breaking into a high pitched cackle, his squeals of laughter ripping through Finn's ear drums. Then all too soon he stopped laughing and stared at him with his vicious crimson eyes.

Finn waited a heartbeat before the clown broke into a run after him.

He let out a shout of terror, and ran back down the stairs. He rushed blindly past the front door, pulling his car keys from his pocket, the clown hot on his heels. He reached his car and ripped the door open, scrambling inside just as the clown was inches from grabbing his shirt.

Finn shut the door behind him, his shaking hands fumbling to put the right key in the ignition. The clown punched and kicked against the windows, giggling and screaming.

"LET'S PLAY!"

His hands were shaking so hard. Finn let out a frightened and frustrated sob, forcing himself to steady his hand.

The car roared into life. Finn shifted the gears and pressed hard on the gas. The car screeched backwards, sending the clown to the ground. Not looking back to check if he was gone for good, Finn sped down the street, panting and sobbing from what had just happened.

That was the first time a hallucination tried to attack him.

"Damnit!" he punched the wheel. He couldn't do this anymore. Seeing things was one thing, but getting attacked by them was another. He needed help. He had to tell someone or these things would end up killing him.

Kurt. He had to find Kurt.

With that small bit of hope, Finn was able to calm down, wiping the snot and tears roughly from his face. Changing directions from McKinley to Dalton, Finn drove at a calmer pace.

He clutched the steering wheel, another sob threatening to rip out of his throat.

The streets were littered with zombies, and they were all coming toward him.

The closest ones were pawing at his windows as he drove past them, their dead eyes locked on him. He was tempted to drive faster, but he knew they weren't real, what if he accidentally hit a real person?

Some were starting to run blindly at him now.

"Leave me alone…" he whimpered, shrinking away from the windows. He screamed when a tiny hand closed over his.

"It's okay!" a little girl with blonde curly hair crawled over from behind, and slipped into the passenger seat. "I'm here to help you."

She felt real. Finn looked her up and down. No missing body parts or bugs crawling over her. She was just a cute little girl in a light blue summer dress and Mary Janes.

"How'd you get in my car?" he quivered.

"You wanted help, so I popped up," she said cheerfully. Finn glanced around the zombies surrounding his car, but they were no longer there. "I got rid of them," the girl nodded proudly.

"Are you an illusion?" he sniffled, parking his car on the side of the street. He was too frazzled to continue driving.

"I guess you can say I'm your subconscious," the girl shrugged thoughtfully. "That doesn't matter though. You want to get rid of the monsters right?" Finn nodded mutely, "I can help you. I know this magic shop, they have special candy that gets rid of the stuff you've been seeing," she looked up at him with her big blue innocent eyes, "wanna go there?"

There was no way that magic candy existed, but after seeing all these crazy things, getting attacked by them, and even feeling them, Finn was ready to try anything if it would mean returning to a normal life.

He started the ignition.

…

Kurt came home completely exhausted. He had to leave a bit early in the morning in order to practice with the Warbler's for regional's. His father was in the living room watching the news, and he could hear Carole in the kitchen making dinner.

"Where've you been?" Burt asked conversationally as his son shut the door behind him.

"Sorry, the meeting with the Warbler's went longer than I thought," Kurt replied, slipping off his bag, "I'm beat."

"Oh, Kurt you're home," Carole peeked out from the kitchen door, she greeted her stepson with a kiss on the cheek, "dinner's almost ready, why are you so late?"

"Glee meeting," he shrugged with a tired smile, "I'll go get out of this uniform and help you out, okay?"

Carole was about to protest, but the look he gave her made her shut her mouth and smile thankfully.

"Another one," Burt shook his head grimly, "the numbers just keep climbing."

Kurt looked to what his father was watching. There was the picture of a smiling teenage girl on the screen. Her name was Jennifer Grey, seventeen, and from Montana. Kurt frowned as the picture was cut off to show her parents crying in a humble living room.

"The victim was found hanging from the oak tree in the backyard of her home," the reporter said importantly, the camera switching to her as she waved to the crime scene surrounding a large oak tree. "This makes eleven in the alarming increase of teen suicides occurring the past month…"

"I'll be back in a minute," Kurt gave his stepmother a smile, and left for his room.

"Oh, do you know where Finn is?" Carole called after him, "he hasn't come back from school and he's not answering his phone."

"No," Kurt blinked in surprise. Carole sighed and shook her head.

"He's probably at Puck's playing video games again, I'll just save him a plate," she shrugged, returning to the kitchen. Kurt glanced back at the news report of the recent teen suicide, Rachel's visit from last night still ringing in his ears.

_"The whole club's worried; we're scared he's going to do something stupid. I want to help him, but he won't talk to me."_

He went to Finn's bedroom. It was open. He flipped the switch, there was no one inside, yet it was messy as usual. Kurt cringed at the pile of laundry growing at the corner of the room.

"He's at Puck's," Kurt tried to reassure himself. He turned to leave, but a blinking light caught the corner of his eye. It was Finn's cell phone. "And he forgot his cell, of course," he mumbled, picking it up.

There were about ten missed calls from Rachel and Carole. At that moment, his phone vibrated in his pocket. He fished it out. It was an unknown number, he was pretty sure it was Rachel's. He changed phones recently and forgot to reinstate her number.

"Hello?" he sighed, leaving Finn's bedroom.

_"Kurt? Oh my god, do you know how hard it was to get your number from Mercedes? It's Rachel."_

"Yes, I know," he went further down the hall and entered his room, slipping out of his jacket, "Finn's not home by the way, he left his cell," he checked through the list of unread texts, they were also all from Rachel. He could hear the girl huff angrily through the phone.

_"Do you know where he is? I'm going out of my mind here; he usually calls me to say he's not going to school."_

Kurt froze. "He didn't go to school?"

_"No! I called Puck, but he hasn't seen him, has Finn said anything to you? You've got to have some idea you live with him!"_

A bad feeling was gripping at his stomach. "No, I haven't seen him all day," he muttered guiltily. "But calm down, I'm sure nothing bad happened to him. Finn's forgetful; he probably went out for a drive or something."

_"Then why didn't he go to school?"_

"That's…" he bit the corner of his lip. It was weird for Finn to skip school, he couldn't deny that. With the news report on Jennifer Grey still fresh in his mind, all sorts of ideas were popping up in his head.

Finn wouldn't…he couldn't have…He was fine yesterday!

_"Kurt?"_

His reassuring words died in his throat. He wasn't sure what to say to Rachel, he was starting to worry too. He hadn't lived with Finn for long, but to go missing all day wasn't normal. And what about Carole? She thought Finn was at Puck's playing video games. Puck had no idea where he was!

_"Kurt, please tell me Finn's okay."_

He couldn't let himself think the worst just yet. For all he knew, Finn was probably at a convenience store getting junk food or something. That had to be it…

"Rachel…" he couldn't finish. There were flashing red and blue lights coming from his window. At first he didn't pay much attention to it, it wasn't common, but it wasn't alarming to see patrol cars driving down the street. It was when the lights persisted that he started to worry.

He walked to the window. There was a patrol car parked in front of the house. His self assurance that Finn was buying junk food instantly snuffed out.

_"Kurt? Are you there?"_

"I'll call you back," his voice sounded alien to him. He hung up and rushed out of his room just as the doorbell rang.

He was at the stairs when Burt answered the door.

His father took one look at the grim cop standing at their doorstep, "can I help you?"

"Are you Finn Hudson's father?"

Kurt joined his father at the door, Carole trailing after him. He snuck a peek at the patrol car for any sign of Finn. He wasn't there.

That was a bad sign.


	3. Medicated

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The truth comes out and medications are issued.

…

Chapter Three

Medicated

…

The drive to the hospital was a blur. Kurt supposed he was in so much shock that he couldn't even cry. Carole on the other hand was sobbing into Burt's arms, his frightened voice trying to ease her worries. Kurt clutched the wheel.

This was his fault. Rachel warned him about this, everyone from McKinley warned him about this, but he just tossed it aside. He'd seen Finn at home, he was fine, he may have been an ass scaring him every time he got home, but that was it. Finn was his normal clumsy self.

He should have paid more attention. Done something more than just say 'I'm here if you want to talk.' Kurt's gut clenched with guilt. He had the chance to do something, but he didn't take it. He let this happen.

They rushed in the ER, stopping short at the help desk.

"What room is Finn Hudson in?" Burt asked urgently. The frail blond nurse didn't even look up, having been accustomed to the onrush of distressed friends and family coming in on a day to day basis.

"Hudson…" she muttered, typing into the computer, thin fingers flying over the keyboard. "Oh…" she threw them a weird look before darting back to the computer screen. "He was put in one of the rooms here, but it was deemed necessary to move him to the psychiatric ward, that's in the next building, room 109."

The psychiatric ward? Kurt's heart sank.

His wordlessly followed his parents out of the hospital.

The cop wasn't very clear over how Finn ended up in the hospital. He didn't want them to freak out because although he'd been in an accident, Finn survived, he was just going through a few check up's at the hospital. The mystery was why was he driving out of Lima?

And why did he take sleeping pills before driving?

The psychiatric ward felt colder than the ER. There was barely anyone on the first floor aside from the young man at the help desk.

Kurt felt sick as he watched his father talk with the man. He could feel cold sweat clamming over his skin. How would Finn be when they'd see him? Would he be huddled in a corner in a fetal position? Or would he be screaming and throwing things like a raving lunatic?

This couldn't be happening. Things like this don't happen to people like Finn. He felt like he was having a nightmare.

They walked down the bright white hallway to room 109. Kurt felt Carole hold his hand, her warmth comforting him as much as his comforted her. He glanced at her tear stained face, eyes red and puffy. This must be hell for her.

All too quickly they found 109 crawl up to them, the black numbers glaring back in it's clean white slate beside the open door. For a terrible second, Kurt didn't want to go in, afraid of what he might see.

Aside from the occupied bed and a middle aged doctor standing over it, the room was empty.

And there was Finn, sitting with his knees up, all bruised and scratched, head in his hands, and blindfolded in bandages.

Carole let out a sob and rushed over to her son, Kurt and Burt following closely behind.

"Oh Finn…" she quivered, taking him into her arms.

Almost immediately Finn screamed and pushed her away, scrambling back and falling off the bed. He crawled further back until he hit the wall, his frightened panting filling the stunned silence.

Carole stared at her son, completely heartbroken. She looked to the startled doctor for answers, silent tears falling down her cheeks.

"Stay away!" Finn yelled wildly as the doctor approached him. The man obediently stepped back.

"Relax, I'm not going to hurt you," he said gently, Finn merely recoiled further. The doctor ran a tired hand through graying hair. "I'm assuming you're Finn's mother," he said grimly, turning to Carole.

"Yes, and I'm his stepfather," Burt spoke up, linking a comforting arm around his wife's back. "What's going on? What's wrong with Finn, did he hit his head in the accident?" he frowned.

"No," the man shook his head, "luckily the accident only left him with a few bruises and scratches," he stretched his hand out to Burt, "I'm Dr. Calvin by the way, I'll need you to sign a few papers for me regarding your son's medical history."

Burt shook his hand mutely, still looking over to the huddled Finn. "Is he going to be all right?"

"Why did he push me away?" Carole asked, eyes locked on her son. Dr. Calvin shook his head.

"I honestly wish I could tell you, but the truth is he arrived a few minutes ago," he also looked to Finn, "at the moment, he doesn't seem to understand what we're saying, he wouldn't answer any of the questions I asked, and he doesn't like to be touched as you've just seen."

"What about the bandages?" Kurt asked softly. He'd been staring at them for a while now, wondering if maybe Finn hurt his eyes in the car accident.

"Kurt?" Finn perked up, "is that you? Where are you?" He hesitantly crawled forward a little, head held up as if he were trying hard to hear. Everyone looked to Kurt.

"Kurt Hummel?" Dr. Calvin asked strangely. The short teen nodded. "He's been asking for you ever since he woke up."

"What?" his eyes widened a fraction, "why me?" he looked back at Finn, who seemed stuck between staying in his little corner or moving forward. Dr. Calvin stepped aside and waved for Kurt to come over. "Finn?"

"Kurt! What's going on? Where am I?" he shakily crawled towards Kurt's voice. Kurt kneeled down before him, glancing to Carole as if asking for permission. He jolted when Finn's clammy hand grabbed his arm and pulled him into a tight hug, knocking the wind out of him.

"Finn, you're in the hospital," Kurt said, forcing his voice to steady. Finn, who always towered over him and was quarterback of the football team, felt so tiny and vulnerable in his arms it was painful, "you were in a car accident."

"What? I wasn't driving I was…" he stopped short and slowly pulled away looking confused behind the blindfold. "She said she'd help me…" he mumbled.

"Who?" he frowned. The cop had told them only Finn was in the car.

Finn carefully pulled off his blindfold and peered around the room, a wave of relief washing over his face. Then he froze as if realizing where he was, and terror took him again.

"Oh shit," he whispered.

…

He had no choice but to tell them everything starting from the creepy little elf in the kitchen to the little girl who promised to cure him. At first no one seemed to believe him, but as he went on to the visions getting stronger and more horrifying to the point where they started attacking him, they began to wonder.

It was surprising, yet not surprising, that Kurt was the first to believe him. Finn's story explained why he'd always been grabbed every day after school. It also explained why Finn seemed normal at home, with Kurt around, normalcy was there.

"Why didn't you say anything?" Carole demanded, her voice threatening to break into a fresh flood of sobs.

Finn clutched at the bed sheets, looking away from his mother guiltily. "I didn't want to get sent to a shrink…"

"Without proper treatment the visions will only get worse," Dr. Calvin said seriously, "if they managed to get you into an accident now, imagine what they could do if they continue."

Finn nodded, staring at his hands on his lap. The scratches were long and broad, but shallow. He wasn't sure how he survived the accident. From what Dr. Calvin had said, the car hit a tree and flipped over a hill. He didn't remember any of that; just that he was walking down a yellow brick road with Alice, eating the candy she provided him with. It removed the monsters, but not the hallucinations, but he was too happy to worry about that.

"He's not like those kids on TV is he?" Burt broke through his thoughts.

Dr. Calvin stuffed his hands in his pockets, "well, Finn isn't the first case to come here in the past month, and they're all around his age –"

"But Finn's not…this was an accident he wouldn't…" Carole stood up in alarm.

"Neither were the other cases," Dr. Calvin frowned, "now that you've calmed down," he turned to Finn, "I'll need to take some blood samples, and if possible a scan of your brain to see exactly what's causing these hallucinations. If we do that you might be able to get away with just medication," Finn sat up looking hopeful, but the doctor remained grim, "but I strongly recommend a mental health professional."

There wasn't even a second to think, Burt stood up. "Can we do the scan tonight?"

…

Lima was the kind of place where news travels fast if the person in question is important enough. In the world of McKinley, where jocks and cheerleaders were like gods of the school, Finn was definitely important enough to gossip about, especially if he had a loudmouth girlfriend and if the story was juicy enough. Getting in a car accident was pretty juicy enough in anyone's books.

So when Finn arrived at school he found himself swarmed with stares and whispers behind his back. As soon as Rachel spotted him, she was latched to his arm like another limb, beside herself with worry. Apparently she'd been calling him all of yesterday and only had the rumors swimming around school to help her decipher what happened.

Rachel was a very imaginative girl. Her idea was that he was taken hostage by some manic armed man and shot several times before being left in the car seconds from death before getting rescued by the cops. Considering what really happened, to his girlfriend's radical story, Finn preferred that she'd believe her story instead of his. He already had his family thinking he was crazy he didn't want Rachel added to that as well.

Finn glumly walked down the halls to the principal's office. Getting stared and admired by everyone as the popular guy was one thing, getting stared at pityingly or hungry for more nasty gossip was another. As guilty as he felt about it, he didn't tell Rachel exactly what happened. Knowing her, she'd probably tell everyone to understand and not bother him about his mental issues. That of course, would only drive people to bother him more.

He didn't want anyone in glee to know either.

Unfortunately it was during glee meetings that the hallucinations would start. And in glee, everyone had a better idea than the rest of the school on what might have happened yesterday.

Another situation he couldn't avoid was telling Mr. Schue and Figgins about his problem.

After detaching himself from Rachel and promising to explain later, Finn settled into Figgin's office. As promised, his mother managed to arrive without being seen and was in the guest chair opposite his. Schue was standing behind her with his arms crossed.

Figgins leaned forward and clasped his fingers under his chin, "I received a call from your doctor, Finn, I'm aware of your situation."

"Oh," his shoulders slumped. He'd been planning on making up a story of having ADD or something that would give him the excuse of popping pills in school. His mother clasped his hand comfortingly. "I'm not crazy…" he said lamely.

"No one said you were," Mr. Schue spoke, "and we don't think you are," he added, seeing Finn glance at him disbelievingly. "No one outside this office will know what's going on if it makes you feel any better, not even glee, they just know you got in an accident."

"We've run your medication with the nurse, she'll keep things confidential as well," Figgins said, unclasping his hands and resting them over his desk, "now, I can't stop the students from gossiping about what happened to you, nor can I stop them from finding out on their own that you have schizophrenia. If that ever happens, you mustn't forget that you have friends and family here who want to help you. If there's anything wrong, the medication's not working; the hallucinations are getting stronger, talk to us."

Finn squirmed in his seat. Something about the principal's wording didn't feel right. "Mr. Figgin's, I've only ever been seeing things, it's not like I want to kill myself or anything."

At this the principal and Mr. Schue looked uncomfortable. Finn frowned at them. Did they honestly think he was suicidal?

"We have two other students with…cases similar to yours," Figgins revealed a bit sadly. Finn stiffened. Two others? Like him?

"One of them is still attending here," Mr. Schue added, "I don't know who it is, but that person seems to be holding up well on their own."

"And the other…?" Carole frowned, holding her son's hand a little tighter in alarm.

"Her name's been running around the halls all day so it's no use hiding it from you, you'll find out anyway," Figgins nodded to Finn. "It was Suzy Pepper; she passed away yesterday, the day of your accident. Though we can't easily assume it was because of schizophrenia, other factors may have been at play, but of what, we've no idea nor can we discuss such confidential information."

Suzy Pepper. Finn could faintly remember her. The creepy girl with the huge crush on…

He turned to Schue.

"This is part of the reason why everyone's talking about you," the teacher said darkly, "they think it's too much of a coincidence that on the day you have a car accident, she dies."

"How did she..." he swallowed thickly. "You know…"

His Spanish teacher shook his head. "It was suicide, though how remains to be seen, she'll be going through an autopsy soon, no one knows what happened."

"Suicide…and you think Finn would do the same thing?" Carole asked worriedly. Finn sunk in his chair. He remembered Suzy now. He saw her in the halls sometimes between classes. She was creepy, but she also didn't seem like someone who'd commit such an extreme act. She was happy from what he'd seen. Or at least happier than she was last year.

"We're not saying he will," Figgins said defensively, "we're just trying to be cautious about this, Suzy was like the other student. She was doing well, all of the sudden this happens, we don't want to risk that happening again, especially with all the news reports on those kids. These times call for caution, and it's not just McKinley, all the schools are on high alert."

His mother nodded, glancing to her son. Finn frowned. "Mom, I'm not going to kill myself."

"I know…" she nodded distractedly.

"Well," Figgins stood up and walked around his desk to Carole, "Mrs. Hummel, thank you for meeting with us," he shook her hand as she stood up, "Finn, I've asked Mr. Schue to keep you in check with your medication," he pat said teacher on the shoulder, "if there's anything bothering you, please talk to either me, the nurse, or Mr. Schue, no matter how small the problem is, we don't want another loss to this school."

Finn nodded. He knew they meant well, but he didn't want anyone to assume he was going to commit suicide. He loved living. He loved his girlfriend, his new family, his crappy school, his bastard best friend who impregnated his previous girlfriend – he loved her too, he loved everything. There was no way he was going to give this up.

Ever.

An hour before glee, he snuck into one of the bathrooms and took his medication, praying as hard as he could that the pills would work.

When he entered the meeting room there were no monsters waiting to attack him. But there were life sized cats dressed as his friends and speaking with their voices. Finn steeled himself. He could do this; cats were easier to deal with than zombies.

A furry paw landed on his shoulder, a brown tom dressed in a white button up shirt with a gray vest, brown striped tie and dark blue jeans leaned close to him. "Did you take your medicine?" he asked quietly in Mr. Schue's voice.

Finn nodded, the cat felt and looked so real, and to have its furry face so close to him was more than a little discomforting.

The cat blinked, cocking its head to the side, whiskers close enough to ghost over Finn's cheek. "Are…you seeing things right now? Is the medicine working?"

"Sort of?" he rubbed his eyes and looked around room again. Nope, still the same. "Um…you're all cats."

"What?" Mr. Schue accidentally let out a laugh, "well…that's better than monsters isn't it?"

"Yeah…" nope, it was still weird.

"If you want to go home early…"

"No, I'll be fine," he hitched his backpack higher up his shoulder and went to pick out a seat by the risers. A Siamese cat in a cheerio uniform, and a bespectacled black tom waved to him in greeting. Finn didn't have to look hard at them to figure out who they were, but they did have something unique to them. They had a weird stone in their foreheads.

"Any memorable scars from the accident?" Artie the black tom asked a bit morbidly.

"Nothing special," Finn pulled up his sleeves to show the shallow scratches. The two cats nodded and were about to say something else if another cat hadn't rushed in and latched on to Finn.

"If Finn doesn't want to talk about it, don't force it out of him," Rachel said motherly.

Finn settled back as the cats started arguing. Yep. It was easier to deal with the hallucinations like this. He hoped that soon even the cats would go away and he could get his life back on track.

Unfortunately, outside the safety of glee, there were still nosy people who would eventually figure everything out. Those eager to move up on the pyramid of popularity wouldn't think twice on bringing him down to his knees.

Funny it would be the same person who kicked Kurt out of McKinley.


	4. Coping and Scheming

…

Chapter Four

Coping and Scheming

…

It was hot. The ovens had been on since the crack of dawn. His feet were burning, back aching, sweat trailing down the sides of his face, and his hands were covered in flour. It was the same as every other day.

He was busy kneading bread dough for baguettes, a rolling rack filled with pre-shaped breads sitting next to him. A few more minutes and he could take his break.

Not for the first time, the waitors barged through the double doors, pinning up a little piece of paper next to the line of papers hanging off the order line.

"Two specials and a fruit tart!" he called lazily, breezing out the door once more. Finn couldn't put his finger on it, but the young man sounded familiar somehow.

"Got it!" someone said from across the kitchen. Kurt busily cleared his table and set out three plates. Finn watched while he worked the bread dough as the small teen proceeded to plate the desserts. He hadn't been working in Pastiche for long, but he was more promising than the other newbies that came in.

"Give him a week," Brittany grinned, approaching Finn as she too watched Kurt, "then he'll mellow out."

The doors opened again, the same waiter put up a new line of orders. Finn realized he wore glasses and black lipstick. He hadn't noticed before.

"Lemon Chiffon!" he was out of the kitchen once more.

Brittany gave an exasperated sigh, "I hate Saturdays," she mumbled, trudging to her station. Finn nodded in agreement. Saturday's were brutal.

"Need any help?"

He looked up in surprise. Kurt stood before him with a warm smile. He looked past him to the table he was working in and saw several beautifully plated desserts sitting at the order line, ready to be served. How did he do that so quickly?

"Uh…sure…" he arched an eyebrow. Kurt grinned and started making bread dough with the ingredients he had set out beside him. "You're pretty skilled at this even though you said you haven't been in a kitchen."

The doors opened again. "Tiramisu!"

The shorter teen shrugged nonchalantly, "I just want to do well. It's my first job."

"Red Velvet!"

"But you've trained me well, so this is thanks to you," he smiled brightly.

Finn paused thoughtfully. "I trained you?"

The doors blew off their hinges. "HOT COCOA!"

"Yeah, don't you remember?" Kurt frowned cutely, stretching out the bread dough as if it were gum. Finn tried thinking back to the past few days.

He shook his head. "No, I don't."

"DEVIL'S CAKE! HAHAHA!"

Kurt blinked and raised his eyebrows. "That's odd."

"Hm…" Finn shrugged it off and looked back down at his bread dough.

The dough's pale skin and part of the table was covered with a sticky warm crimson substance.

His hands were chopped off.

…

Finn let out a startled cry and turned sharply in his bed, waking himself up.

The black and white clown stared back at him, his face so close their noses were touching, wide black eyes boring into his.

Finn yelled out in shock and made to escape, but a hand grabbed his arm and the clown vanished. The frazzled teen fell back in his bed, gasping for air, cold sweat clamming over his skin. Kurt sat on the edge of the bed, keeping his hand on his stepbrother's arm as he settled down.

"Nightmare?" he frowned. Finn nodded distractedly, checking to see that his hands were intact.

Two palms, eight fingers, and two thumbs. All present and accounted for. He wiggled them and pulled them into fists, glad to see they also still functioned.

"I was in some pastry shop…you were there…so was the clown," he shook his head. He didn't know why he was telling Kurt this, he had worse nightmares before. "And my hands were chopped off...there was blood everywhere…"

Kurt picked up the small orange tube sitting on the night table. "Did you take your medicine?"

Finn nodded, rubbing his left temple with the bottom of his palm. "Yeah, but it's not working, I'm still getting nightmares." Along with his medication for the hallucinations, the doctor prescribed him strong pills that were 'guaranteed' to let him have dreamless sleep after learning that some of the apparitions, particularly the mysterious clown, were from his dreams. So far it only worked the first night and then the nightmares came back.

The Respiradal was starting to lose its affects as well. With each passing day, the hallucinations were getting unbearable again.

"Will you be all right with going to glee?" Kurt asked, setting the pills back on the table. He too had noticed Finn's growing agitation when he'd come home from school. Already, he was making mental plans on seeing Finn's doctor about the medication.

"Yeah, I'll be fine," the taller teen sat up, peeling the sheets off him. "I'll probably see bugs or something."

Kurt stood as Finn slipped out of bed, stepping aside as he went to his dresser. He watched his tense back as he shuffled through the many layers of folded clothes in the drawer. Finn looked a little thin.

"I was thinking…maybe it's best that I go back to McKinley –"

"What!?" Finn whipped around, "are you joking? Did you forget the reason why you left!"

"You'll be able to get through glee," Kurt insisted calmly, "if the medicine's not working I don't want another scare like the accident."

"I'll just ask to make the pills stronger –"

"Finn, those pills may be helping you right now, but they're also exhausting you," Kurt said heatedly, startling his brother. "How are you gonna drive to and from school while you're doped up on drugs?"

"I'll take the bus…" Finn mumbled unhelpfully, "our parents gave up their honeymoon money so you could go to Dalton." Kurt shut his mouth guiltily. "You're safe there, I'll figure something out."

The shorter teen sighed. Finn went back to picking out his clothes and throwing them on, oblivious to Kurt blushing lightly and looking away. He instead looked at his hands with a frown. Even Dr. Calvin couldn't understand why he was the only person who could erase Finn's hallucinations through touch. He made some lame guess that Finn might unconsciously view him as the most important person in his life, thus his connection to reality, but that was all. As nice as it would be to be his stepbrother's number one, Kurt knew that couldn't be possible. Up until recently, they barely ever talked or shared anything in common, plus he knew, despite Finn constantly saying he was fine with it, that the taller teen was still a little uncomfortable with his sexuality.

Most important person? No. One of the most important maybe, he was his family now after all. The number one title probably belonged to either Carole or Rachel.

So why was he Finn's connection to reality?

He trudged out of the bedroom. "I'd better get ready for school," he excused himself, not seeing his stepbrother nod nonchalantly.

…

Although Dalton was a good and safe school, there were some drawbacks, particularly in the uniformity of the student body. Uniforms, Kurt could deal with, muting out his individuality, he couldn't. It was true that he honestly had Finn's best interests in mind when he suggested going back to McKinley. But it was also a chance to be himself again, and really compete in Glee with his voice rather than status. He actually missed battling against Rachel.

The drive to school wasn't fabulous either, and he was contemplating going back to dorming like he had in the few weeks before the Hummel-Hudson clan moved to a decent distance from both McKinley and Dalton. A great feat considering how far the schools were from each other.

Too bad with Finn's current state of mind, he didn't have the luxury of choosing to move to the Academy. Finn needed him more than anyone. If he moved, the Frankenteen wouldn't stand a chance.

Kurt parked his car in the school's lot and wiped off any invisible wrinkles from his coat before heading off to the building. The weather was getting colder. What would he do in the case of a snow storm and Finn needed him? That is, assuming his stepbrother hadn't recovered by then…

"Morning, Kurt." A gentle hand pat his shoulder good naturedly. Kurt smiled and looked up at his current crush who smiled winningly at him. Blaine never failed in boosting his mood. "How's it going?"

"Not well," Kurt sighed as they walked down the hall or rather corridor filled with uniformed students. "But we're coping." Aside from Mercedes, Blaine had become one of Kurt's best friends. Kurt trusted him enough to talk about sensitive family issues, and if he didn't tell someone he'd explode. It helped that Blaine didn't mind being confided in. Mercedes was also enlightened of Finn's situation, having been entrusted with being Kurt's extra eyes at school. Finn himself wasn't aware of this, which was good or else the boy would feel trapped.

"So he's getting better?" Blaine asked curiously.

Kurt shook his head sadly. "The medicine's not working anymore, he's still seeing things."

Blaine squeezed his shoulder comfortingly, "I know you said he doesn't want to, but he has to see someone, and not a doctor who'll give him pills, he needs a psych-"

"A shrink," Kurt nodded tiredly. It wasn't the first time Blaine suggested this, and he wasn't entirely disagreeing. But he agreed with Finn's fears of being teased, and if anyone in McKinley, particularly Azimio and his group, found out, it would be hell.

What's more, a shrink cost money they just didn't have.

Blaine nodded sheepishly; he didn't like seeing Kurt so upset. "Come on, you have two glorious hours of boring history."

…

There were rumors flying around again about McKinley's quarterback. It started up after he got into an accident. It wasn't entirely newsworthy if someone got in a car crash, unless of course if it was so bad the victim suffered chronic injuries or died. Finn survived with a few minor scrapes, but what made it intriguing was that it happened on the day Suzy Pepper killed herself. Even more interesting, he had taken sleeping pills while driving out of Lima. _Then_ when he was taken to the hospital, he was sent to the psychiatric ward for…well no one but close friends and family knew, so that's where the rumors flourished.

There was one particular tale that Finn had murdered Suzy in a mad episode and when he came to his senses he become so distraught that he tried killing himself in a car accident while trying to leave town. Why he would escape Lima if he would have been dead anyway, no one had a clue.

He wasn't acting like himself either. After he returned to school, with all eyes on him, people noticed he wasn't his usual goofy cheerful self. He was pale, distant, never smiled, even with his girlfriend. Now that they had the sickening idea that Finn could be a murderer, that was all they saw when they looked at him.

Finn Hudson. A killer.

What the hell was he still doing here?

Were they next?

This was what Finn had to come to school for every day since the accident. Fearful glances and heated whispers behind his back. Not only did he have hallucinations to worry about, but now the accusations of him killing a girl he barely knew let alone talked to.

Today was no different.

"Good morning," his girlfriend grabbed his arm and greeted him with a short kiss and a warm smile. "Feeling any better?"

Finn guiltily looked down at Rachel. She still wasn't fully aware of his problem. As much as he loved her, he just couldn't trust her with such sensitive information about what was really happening to him. He knew it sounded bad, and every time he looked at her the guilt kept eating away at him. But he couldn't tell her, he really couldn't, and not only because she'd accidentally blab it to someone.

He knew he wouldn't be able to take the look of pity from his own girlfriend.

She gave that look to Kurt when Burt had the heart attack. He didn't want it directed to him.

Right now she was under the belief that he was still traumatized over the accident. He smiled at her. "Better," he replied.

Rachel perked up happily, "good, I was hoping we could convince Mr. Schue to do a duet during regionals, a nice romantic song…."

Regionals. After everything that was happening, the competition felt eons away. He felt no anticipation for it, not even dread. What had once been his greatest goal to achieve with glee was now so nonexistent it was quickly forgotten until now.

"…a mix of broadway and the 80's, Mr. Schue would love it!..."

Finn chose that moment to look up. His heart stopped.

Among the mass of students Suzy Pepper was standing at the end of the hall, her skin gray and lips blue.

She was staring straight at him.

…

The blue skies were cloudless, but there was still a feeling of winter in the air. Soon snow would cover the town and Christmas lights would adorn every house. There would be people shoveling sludge and snow from the streets and driveways of their homes, people slipping on ice, shoppers going nuts over gifts. The annual holiday cheer.

She kept her gaze up at the sky, a small smile crawling up her face.

How long, she wondered, would that holiday cheer continue by the time the suicide rates peaked to the point where every child in the country was sent to hospitals.

How many would die?

How many would be strong enough to survive?

She turned her eyes from the window to the hall of students chattering amongst themselves. It didn't matter who they were, at some point, someone among their little cliques was going to lose it. The jocks, the princesses, the nerds, the freaks, and…

A boy in a wheel chair drove himself expertly through the throng of teenagers while talking to his girlfriend and two Asian friends.

…Ah, of course, even the gleeks.

…

The rumors had spread faster than they had expected, but then again it shouldn't have been so surprising. Finn Hudson, despite committing social suicide by joining the house of gleektards, was still pretty popular; he was a quarterback after all. His status even remained decent after ditching Quinn and diving for the weird gleek girl, what was her name again?

They watched the tall teen walk down the hall with his jabbering girlfriend. Even giving him the facial slushie treatment did nothing to make him back out of the stupid club.

And they were really getting tired of him and Puck trying to recruit them. As if. You'd think they'd take a beating as a hint. They used to be cool; they used to help with tossing freaks in the dumpster. Now all they cared about was singing and dancing like a bunch of flaming homos.

They were seething. How could Finn, Puck, and Mike do this to them, had they no shame as men?

Last year was a bust in trying to get some sense into them.

Azimio spared Karofsky a glance. He succeeded in kicking the homo kid out, he was pretty sure they could do the same for those traitors. This year there would be no mercy. They had to go.

Starting with Finn.

Azimio smirked, a plan formulating in his mind. So Finn was crazy? What would happen if they made him snap?


	5. Snapped

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Azimio and Karofsky poke a dragon in the eye.

…

Chapter Five

Snapped

…

He was back in the costume again, gun in one hand, and body out of his control. He couldn't understand why he constantly found himself like this every time he fell asleep. The dreams were always different, but he would still be in costume.

He didn't really like clowns either, so he couldn't fathom why he was one in his dreams.

At first he didn't think much of it; it was a pretty recent thing so he figured it was just a phase. Just like the nightmares of Freddy Krueger after seeing Nightmare on Elm Street. Though he was usually the victim in those nightmares, not the killer.

And those nightmares didn't come true either.

One night he dreamt of choking Suzy Pepper to death. The next day it was announced throughout the school that she killed herself.

That wasn't the only thing that was starting to freak him out. In a handful of his dreams, Finn would be in them. He never really tried to kill him, but he feared that when he would and when he'd wake up, Finn would end up like Suzy Pepper.

It made him wonder with terror if all those people he killed in his dreams ended up dead the next day too. He didn't want to think about it, it was too Freddy Kreugery to even joke about.

He walked confidently down the dark and empty hallways of McKinley. Finn and Kurt were at the end, talking quietly as if they were having a regular day at school even though it was evening, and anyone in their right mind would be creeped out by the gloomy atmosphere.

He observed Kurt curiously. He never dreamt of Kurt exclusively like the others, the boy was always with Finn. He didn't know why, but he had the strangest feeling that Kurt was protecting Finn like some sort of shield.

Kurt was also there in the dream in which he killed Quinn and her parents. It was probably why she was still alive the next day. It didn't make sense though. He killed Quinn, but he couldn't kill Finn and yet they were still alive. Would Quinn truly have died if Kurt didn't come in after her murder?

What would happen if he were to kill Kurt?

As if reacting by his thoughts, his body moved at its own accord and directed the gun to the shorter teen.

No! Don't kill him! Stop! He tried ordering his body.

Nothing. His finger pulled the trigger.

The bullet flew straight through Kurt's head as if he were a ghost. He continued his conversation with Finn as if nothing happened, but the tall teen was now looking at him, the murderous black and white clown, in fear.

In the instant his bullet passed Kurt, the power over his body vanished and he fell like a rag doll.

…

His shoulder was shaking. It took him a moment to realize it was a hand nudging it, and another minute to figure out it was his mother.

"Time for breakfast, honey," she smiled warmly. He sat up with a yawn, rubbing the sleep from his face.

Another day of school. He let out a sigh of relief. At least he would start the day well knowing he didn't kill anyone today.

…

The plan would be perfect.

They'd provoke Finn a little bit to get some kind of violent reaction, back off for everyone to see the crazy episode, and the teachers would put him down like a wild animal. Figgins would then expel him, and he might even be sent to the nut house. The point was, he'd be gone.

Of course, they knew provoking a potentially dangerous person wasn't the brightest idea. Someone could get hurt after all, they weren't that stupid. Which was why they weren't going to do this in a place teachers couldn't have access to, but at the same time they couldn't see them provoking Finn. They needed to hear the screams and random chaos of things being thrown in order to intervene.

No one but themselves had to be present as well. Can't have any witnesses before the real deal happened after all. And there had to be an easy way of escape should their lives be in danger.

Now, how to get Finn going…

…

Geometry was failing in getting his attention. He considered himself decent in math, and a model student when he was in McKinley aside from his constant text exchanges with Mercedes, and arguing with the teacher over his choice in attire. But he wasn't so bad that he'd come out of the class without learning at least one thing. Right now he couldn't focus at all, and his notebook had turned into a canvas of squiggly lines, zigzags and other random little doodles.

He was worried.

They managed to talk to Dr. Calvin about the medicine after Finn told them he started seeing things as soon as he got to school and they wouldn't go away after taking his pills. Dr. Calvin pushed up the dosage, but because of that Finn couldn't drive to McKinley anymore. Burt had to take about two hours out of work every morning to drive him to school.

This wouldn't be so bad if Kurt wasn't going to Dalton. They would be able to live closer to McKinley, and the two hours out of his dad's job would be nothing since it would be Kurt who'd drive Finn to school. This also affected Carole because she had to pick Finn up after school, leaving her exhausted from having to work before the crack of dawn in order to be in time to pick up her son. They were seriously considering putting him through home school to deal with his medication.

They told him not to worry, they'd get through this, everything would be okay.

Kurt blinked several times, fighting back the tears that were starting to distort his vision. It wasn't just the exhaustion showing in his parents that was worrying him, it was Finn. He'd never seen him so…dead.

He did a bit of research himself about Finn's medication. Some people gained weight after taking anti-psychotics, but Finn had lost a lot instead of gained. There was a haunted look in his eyes, he never smiled, or truly smiled. Kurt couldn't imagine how he got through school. If Finn had his few hours of reality at home when he was around and still look like a zombie, how did he behave when he wasn't present? Was he still lying to Rachel? Did he talk to anyone aside from teachers about his problems?

Before he could think of anymore endless questions his phone vibrated against his hip. Kurt looked up in fright as he shut off the alarm. Dalton had strict policies with phones used in class, he'd already seen a few freshmen getting their iPhone's confiscated, and heard stories of teachers breaking phones when they went off in class or they caught someone texting. He wasn't sure a teacher could be able to get away with that, but he'd never been to a private school until now, so he wasn't taking his chances.

The class didn't seem to notice his phone vibrate, being too busy arguing with the teacher about something off subject, and that had successfully distracted the old man.

Kurt furtively pulled his phone a little from his pocket. He took a quick glance. It was Mercedes. There was an emergency symbol under her name. Kurt's whole body turned cold.

He warned his best friend never to text him in class; he even gave her his schedule so she'd know what time to bother him. Until now she'd been good with sticking to his schedule.

That emergency symbol wasn't making him feel any better from his earlier thoughts. Mercedes wouldn't text him in class unless absolutely necessary.

Not giving it a second thought, Kurt excused himself to the still distracted geometry teacher and rushed to the nearest bathroom.

There was no one there. Good he could freak out alone and not frighten anyone. He bit his lip as he pulled out his phone, praying that Mercedes had forgotten about his schedule and wanted to talk manicures and shoes. He read through her message and swayed on the spot.

_Get down here quick, Finn's flipped out, he's being sent to the hospital._

…

He was more tired than before with the medication raised to its maximum limit. He fell asleep in three of his classes, bumped into several people down the hallways, and couldn't remember one damn thing his chatty girlfriend was saying to him. He honestly didn't care anymore. He wanted to sleep, and so far, there were no monsters or creepy little maggots interrupting his daily life.

Of course, that was at the cost of losing all the youthful happiness he had in him, but that was okay, everything was back to normal and he could finally focus on school and glee, and whatever little thing he hadn't had the chance to think of in the past few weeks.

Christmas was coming; he had to make a list of gifts for friends and family. The tree hadn't been bought yet, that would be a fun project to do with the family.

...Family.

It felt weird even thinking of the word now that there were two additions to it. In a way it kind of warmed Finn after everything that happened. For once the lonely Christmases he shared with his mother would be filled up with Burt's laughter and excitement for football games. His mother would make the dinner and order him to help around with cookies and other cheesy nonsense he'd always look forward to. And Kurt…was he a Christmas kind of person? Finn could imagine the flamboyant teen helping his mother out with decorations, ordering him around about where to place the ornaments on the tree, and probably wear Christmas colors, but in his usual high fashion style.

Their first Christmas together.

It was going to be great.

He slipped on his long sleeved shirt after removing the sweaty t-shirt he'd been wearing for gym. He'd been so caught up in his thoughts that he hadn't noticed the other guys leaving the locker room, leaving him alone. It wasn't unusual though, Finn liked to take his time getting dressed for classes, especially since he was one of the few who cared to take the extra time to shower after a grueling work-out.

Today had never been so embarrassing though. He didn't realize how out of shape he was until he lifted a ten pound weight about five times before getting exhausted. The only one who noticed was Puck, and he was startled by his display of weakness. Thankfully he didn't make a scene. Finn wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing, usually if Puck made fun of someone it was because he found it extremely amusing, and when he chose not to it only meant he felt it was rude. Puck was weird like that.

Which meant that he took Finn's decline in strength seriously. Glad as he was to have his best friend worried for him, Finn didn't want it to come from Puck. He made things seem not so serious, no matter how cruelly he did it, and that's what Finn needed.

Tightening the knot of his sneakers, he shut his locker and grabbed his bag. He had history didn't he? Or was it biology?

He didn't have much time to think on it because Azimio and Karofsky were standing in front of him expectantly. Finn eyed each of them cautiously.

"What?" he tried to say casually. After what Karofsky did to Kurt, Finn had given up trying to make sense of the bully duo.

"How's it going, man?" Azimio asked with a slight grin. Not a very nice one.

"Fine…" he frowned. Shaking his head he tried walking past them but Karofsky blocked the door. His frown turn into a glare, "what do you want?"

"You hear about the rumors going around about you?" Azimio asked conversationally. Finn stiffened, he hated being self conscious of the rumors swimming around, but then again, he didn't do anything but unintentionally hurt himself so he knew he wasn't whatever everyone was saying he was. "We just wanted to make sure if they were true or not."

"What, that I killed Suzy Pepper?" he looked between Karofsky and Azimio. "You're the ones who started that rumor, it's not true."

"Okay, I admit I started it," Azimio shrugged, "but it wasn't to get back at you for the homo show you joined, we think you did do it."

Flinn clenched his fists; the unfairness of the accusation waking him up from his medicated stupor. "I didn't kill her, now move, I have class."

Azimio grabbed his shoulder, not too tightly, but enough to stall him. "Then why were you driving out of Ohio? You were sent to the psycho ward right?"

Finn backed off from the jock's grip. "What's your point?" he wasn't sure how to answer them without revealing he was going crazy or that he truly didn't kill Suzy. They seemed to have the idea stuck in their heads to see the truth anyway.

"That says 'killer' written all over it!" Azmio burst, lightly smacking his arm.

For a fraction of a second the jock's hand had its skin ripped away, blood was spilling and muscles were shredding on their own.

Dread started sinking into the pit of Finn's stomach. No… He got the doctor to up the medication, this shouldn't be happening!

"You listening to me?" Azimio stepped closer, glaring at Finn's distracted face.

"I think he really did kill her," Karofsky said slowly with a frown. The tall teen glared at him and made another attempt at leaving, but Karofsky pushed him back, noting the look of panic crossing the teen's face. "How'd you do it?"

"I didn't kill her," he looked away, unable to watch as horns and fangs started growing off their heads. If only he could get to the pills without them seeing…

"It's written all over your face, Hudson!" Azimio snapped, grabbing his shoulder again, "You a killer now? Who else is next!"

"I-I'm not a killer!" Finn pushed his hand away and backed up further, realizing with horror as his back crashed into the lockers that he had nowhere else to go. "Leave me alone I didn't kill anyone!"

Maybe it was the way their former friend looked so terrified, but for a second they felt a bit of pity for him. They knew he wasn't a killer, and though the prospect of having him kicked out would end up in them becoming the top of the social hierarchy, this all felt a little off. Like making fun of a kid in a wheelchair.

Karofsky and Azimio exchanged uneasy looks. They were cool with throwing people in dumpsters and giving the hourly slushie. But this felt weird. It felt…really evil of them to do.

Except when it came to Kurt Hummel, Karofsky reasoned. He was different.

Then again. What if their crazy rumor was true? What if Finn really did kill Suzy Pepper? His reactions right now were anything but innocent.

Suddenly provoking a now possible killer didn't sound like such a good idea.

What should they do? Report to Figgins? A teacher?

"Hey, we're just kidding around," Azimio laughed nervously, once again slapping Finn on the shoulder. "We know you didn't kill any – " Azimio fell backwards as Finn roughly pushed him away.

"Don't touch me!" he screamed in terror.

Karofsky, wanting to defend his fellow friend, shoved Finn into the lockers, not realizing he was only making Finn's hallucinations worse. "He was oaargh apologizing, you daargh have to Orf grr arrgh kraaah," he growled.

Finn's eyes widened, panic settling in. He couldn't understand what Karofsky was saying anymore. His whole body was transforming into some gigantic demon with long sharp claws, yellow slit eyes, and lava like skin that was burning him even without touching.

He threw his bag at it in self defense, his mind going completely blank.

…

It was almost fifth period, another class more and then lunch, then more classes and finally glee. Mercedes wasn't looking forward to the day at all. Mainly because it was a Wednesday and she'd have to repeat this whole pattern again tomorrow, and then the day after that. She really wished Christmas break would come sooner.

She was in the middle of gathering her books for Biology when a familiar brunette parked herself beside her, patiently eyeing her as she stuffed her books in her bag. After a minute of awkward silence Mercedes rolled her eyes.

"Whatcha want girl?" she turned to her with a raised eyebrow.

"It's Finn," Rachel said instantly, worry etched all over her face. Mercedes internally winced. She'd hoped it wasn't that. From what she got from Kurt, Rachel still had no idea what was going on with her boyfriend. She schooled her features, not forgetting her promise to Kurt to not spill the beans. "He's been acting strange, he's not talking as much, he never smiles…"

"What makes you think I know what's wrong with him?" she shut her locker and slung her bag on one shoulder, making her trek to class. Rachel followed close behind.

"Well because you're Kurt's best friend, I know you guys still talk, and he's Finn's stepbrother now, I figured Kurt would say something to you about Finn, I thought Puck might know, but Finn wouldn't trust him with a secret if it's really bad right?" she rambled matter of factly. Mercedes mentally swore. Rachel wasn't stupid, that's for sure. She'd been hoping she would be the least likely target for any info on the Frankenteen. Those hopes were now dashed.

"Kurt hasn't said anything to me," she said easily.

"But he has to have!" Rachel persisted desperately, grabbing her arm. She forced her to look her in the eye. "Mercedes please, I hate it when you guys keep secrets about Finn from me. I know something's wrong, and I know it's got nothing to do with cheating," her voice was wavering, and there were tears glittering in her eyes. "Please. What the hell is going on?"

Mercedes opened her mouth to guiltily deny everything when there was a burst of a door slamming open down the hall, scaring the scant few students still loitering the halls. The girls eyes widened as Karofsky stumbled out of the boys locker room, something red trailing down his oddly angled arm, his nose crooked and bleeding profusely. It was like a scene straight out of a horror movie.

It took the students one look at the jock before they screamed and either ran away or rushed to the dazed teen as he collapsed.

'Shit,' was all Mercedes could think of as she and Rachel hesitantly rushed to help the boy. She had a bad feeling this was somehow related to Finn.

"LEAVE ME ALONE!"

All the little hairs on her arms stood on end at the shrill scream that ripped out from inside the locker room. Judging from the jolt of the students still in front of said room, she knew they felt the same.

"Finn," Rachel said in a tiny voice, straightening up.

"He's gonna kill hib..!" Karofsky tried speaking through his broken nose. "He's gonna kill hib!"

"Finn!" Rachel rushed in the locker room. Cursing, Mercedes chased after her.

"Rachel stop! He…" she slowed to a stop, dread swallowing her. The place was a mess. Lockers bent and twisted, papers thrown everywhere, benches which were supposed to be nailed to the floor, turned over.

There were bits of blood smeared on the floor, trailing to a heap in the corner of the room. Azimio.

"Oh my god," Mercedes breathed, rushing to the teen. There was a large bruise forming at the side of his head, but he was breathing, he was just unconscious.

"Finn!"

Mercedes whipped around, spotting Rachel cautiously walking towards something on the other side of the lockers. The diva hurried toward her despite the fear gripping her bones.

He was standing in the corner of the room by the showers, holding a broom out like a weapon with trembling bloodied hands. His breath was trembling, his eyes wide and manic, tears freely streaming down pale cheeks.

"Stay away!" he shouted brokenly, pointing the broom to Rachel who was still approaching him.

"Finn it's me!" Rachel cried.

"What's going on here!" Beiste's voice boomed throughout the locker room as she ran to the terrified boy. "Hudson – "

"STAY AWAY!" Finn swung the broom at his coach.

"FINN!"

Mercedes watched in shock as Rachel threw herself at her boyfriend. Finn's reaction was immediate. He screamed in terror and violently pushed his girlfriend off him. Rachel fell backwards, hitting her head against one of the benches behind her with a sickening crunch. Mercedes rushed to her, breath caught in her throat.

"Rachel," she kneeled down before her. The brunette looked around dazedly with glazed eyes of pain. There was blood streaming down from the side of her face, caking in her silky brown hair nastily. Gingerly, Mercedes helped her sit up. "Rachel, are you okay?" Of course she wasn't, what a stupid question to ask.

"Let go of the broom Hudson," Beiste said carefully, as if talking to a child about to throw another fit. "Mercedes how is she?"

"I think she's okay," she answered shakily.

Finn slid down to the floor, still holding the broom out protectively, there were more tears falling, mixed in with whimpers and sobs of despair. Mercedes looked away. This wasn't the Finn Hudson she knew. This guy terrified her.

"Finn, give me the broom, everything's gonna be all right," Beiste said in that same gentle tone. He only continued crying, his grip on the broom tightening.

More people rushed in. Mr. Schue stopped short behind Beiste with the nurse by his side.

"What happened?" he demanded.

"How should I know?" Beiste blurted angrily, "I go to the bathroom for two seconds and then I find the place turned upside down," she huffed, nodding to Finn, "he's seeing things again."

Mercedes's ears perked up in surprise. So coach Beiste knew as well. Of course, that made sense, she was Finn's football coach and gym teacher, she had the same right to know about his condition as Mr. Schue did.

"Finn," the nurse inched closer to the frazzled teen, "it's me, the nurse, remember?" Finn merely pointed the broom to her the closer she got. She backed away understandingly. "We need to get him to the hospital."

"What's going on?" Rachel made herself known again, even though her head was still throbbing in pain from before. "Why's Finn…" she was tearing up again, "why's he…"

Mr. Schue looked at her guiltily as he pulled out his cell. He too knew the glee star was unaware of Finn's condition, and although he didn't agree with Finn, he tried to respect his wishes and not say anything to her either.

But things had gone too far now. There was no way they could make up a lie for all this.

"We'll explain later," he looked past her to the other stunned girl, "Mercedes, contact Finn's parents and Kurt."

Shaking her head out of her stupor, the diva nodded and pulled out her iphone, fingers furiously flying over the screen for the number of her best friend.

_Get down here quick, Finn's flipped out, he's being sent to the hospital._


	6. Among Us

…

Chapter Six

Among Us

…

The paramedics couldn't come fast enough. There needed to be one ambulance for Azimio, another for Karofsky, and a third for Finn. Although Rachel's head injury was alarming because of the blood, she insisted on riding with Finn.

Getting Finn in the ambulance truck was another story. One that everyone who witnessed would have engrained in their heads.

The paramedics told them to stay back. Mercedes and Rachel wouldn't have moved even if they wanted to. Her legs had become lead from all the shock, and Rachel was so overwhelmed that she couldn't even stand. Mercedes could see her from the corner of her eye as she quietly cried from her spot on the floor, instantly regretting ever promising Kurt to never breathe a word to the now sobbing girl. If she'd known this would happen she would have told her long ago.

The teachers and two girls watched as the paramedics fought to ply the broom out of Finn's tight grip. All the while the distressed teen was screaming for them to stop, _begging_ for them not to hurt him.

Finally one of them said, "Get the sedative."

"What's going on?"

"Holy crap!"

"Oh my god!"

She had forgotten they weren't alone. It was midday; the school was still occupied with students. Some of which were ballsy enough to investigate the scene of the crime after getting past the security guards she was sure were standing outside the locker room.

She spotted Mike, Puck, Sam, and Artie among the small crowd, shock and horror etched in their faces once their eyes landed on their friend, their freaking _leader,_ screaming and crying as he tried to fight off two beefy paramedics.

"Guys, get out!" Mr. Schue ushered the curious crowd, "out!"

Mercedes jumped nearly a foot in the air when another ear shattering scream escaped Finn. She thought he might have been injected by the needle one of the paramedics was holding, but he was scrambling backwards more fervently than before. Or at least trying to, looking at something towards the direction of the group of horrified students.

"John!" one of the burlier paramedics yelled irritably, struggling to pin the quarterback down.

"I'm trying!" the other said through gritted teeth, grasping at Finn's flailing arms, "He just…won't…hold…still!" he finally got the sedative to hit home. Finn yelped in surprise, still in the middle of trying to escape, but the effects were quickly taking over. He weakly attempted fighting back, but it was too late.

"The clown…" he rasped through his abused throat, "he's here…" He head lolled to the side and he fell limp in both the paramedics arms. Rachel's sobs peeled through the pregnant silence that followed, and Mercedes was starting to feel some tears prickle at her eyes. She pressed her hand over her mouth to keep her own sob from joining Rachel's.

Huffing, John glared at the nurse, "so who's idea was it to let him keep coming to school if he's in this kind of condition?"

The nurse merely glared back. "His doctor said it would be okay for him as long as he took his medication."

The unnamed paramedic scoffed, "Some doctor."

Getting everyone in the ambulance trucks went smoothly after that, but left Mercedes feeling numb. If seeing the destroyed locker room hadn't unsettled her enough, seeing the ambulance trucks did.

There were three of them waiting in front of the school with their lights flashing. Azimio and Karofsky, who was still whimpering in pain, were getting wheeled inside their own ambulance while Rachel followed behind the two paramedics with Finn into his.

Three vans. Mercedes's bottom lip trembled, struck by the amount of damage one person could do under a hallucination induced panic. Granted she heard worse stories of school shootings, and thankfully no one died here, but to witness it was something else entirely, especially since the person responsible was a friend who was also a victim himself.

And Finn did this with his bare hands.

Her phone vibrated in her hand as she watched Rachel slip into the ambulance after John, the door shutting behind her. Blinking back a fresh wave of tears, Mercedes looked at the new message.

_I'm on my way. Please be there._

Sniffling resolutely and pocketing her phone, Mercedes pulled out her car keys and marched to the parking lot. Not before a hand grabbed her arm.

She turned around. Nearly half the glee club was grouped together staring back at her intently. A large mass of students behind them were watching with horror and fascination the whole bizarre scene of the ambulances pulling away from the school. She'd forgotten once more about them.

"We're going with you," Puck said firmly, demanding no protests in his tone. Mercedes nodded numbly, quietly amazed that they instantly knew she was leaving for the hospital.

And grateful that she wasn't going to be waiting there alone.

…

One glance at the speedometer and the next second he had to floor the brakes before crashing into the car ahead of him. He cursed loudly and swerved to the next lane.

Calm down. Don't want to kill yourself while trying to get to the hospital.

Especially since you're the only person in the world who could help Finn.

The lump in Kurt's throat grew painfully. Finn was in the hospital again. What exactly happened for him to flip out? Why was there a need to flip out? The medication was increased, no _flip out_ should have occurred!

Kurt gripped the wheel, gritting his teeth and cursing whatever divine being existed to mess with Finn.

Another glance at the speedometer told him he was a fraction from hitting ninety. Shit.

Kurt glanced at the rearview mirror. No cops had pulled out yet. That didn't mean they weren't going to. Grudgingly, he relented to slowing down a bit. Speeding wasn't his style, even in an emergency, and he wouldn't be good to Finn dead.

Kurt bit his lip. Mercedes was short and to the point with her text, but she didn't elaborate on whether his stepbrother's life was in danger, if he hurt anyone else, nothing.

He dearly hoped Finn didn't hurt anyone.

…

They stood in front of Finn's room, waiting impatiently for the doctors and nurses to finish whatever it was they were doing with their friend. Mercedes looked towards Rachel with guilt. She was sitting in one of the benches that scattered the hallways, staring off into nothing, her hands tightly clasped on her lap, and shoulders hunched. It made her seem so tiny and weak. Her wound had been cleaned up a while ago, patched up with bandages. Mercedes figured she was still trying to get over the shock that her boyfriend physically hurt her.

Mercedes looked away. The memory of Finn tossing Rachel aside like a rag doll still fresh in her mind.

"So what happened?" Artie asked quietly, brows knitted in concern.

She bit her lip as she looked up at the glee club. They were all upset and confused, they needed answers, and she was the only one who knew what was really going on.

But it wasn't her right to say anything.

Then again, she knew they had an idea of the truth. They were already suspecting something was wrong after Finn had that accident, and even earlier than that when he started behaving oddly. Would it hurt to tell them the truth?

She furtively glanced at Brittany and Santana, could she trust _them_ with the truth?

"Whatever's wrong it's definitely psychological, isn't it?" Tina asked. "The Finn we know wouldn't hurt anyone, not even Azimio or Karofsky. Unless provoked."

Mercedes shuffled her feet uncomfortably. "Yeah…" she mumbled, "he's…well…"

"He has schizophrenia," Rachel cut through the tension. Mercedes eyes widened a fraction as she turned sharply to her. The brunet shrugged lightly, still staring off into space. "The paramedics told me in the ambulance."

"Uh…" Mercedes didn't know what to say. The others broke into murmurs of alarm and worry, but she didn't have time to take in their conversation. Carole and Burt were rushing towards them.

"Where is he? Is he in there?" Carole said hurriedly, her face a mess of dried tears and puffy red eyes. Mercedes noted with sadness that the woman seemed thinner and older. Nothing like the glowing woman she'd seen in two or three instances of her life. She nodded, stepping aside for the parents to go into the room the club was forbidden to enter.

"Kurt's on his way?" Burt asked Mercedes. He too seemed older. Mercedes nodded again, the pang in her chest growing.

"He said he would be here in maybe an hour and a half to two hours," she confirmed.

"Thank you," and he went in the room after his wife. The group had only a second to see Finn still unconscious in bed with a nurse taking a blood sample from his arm before the door shut once more.

Mercedes could have sworn she saw a little blonde girl in a summer blue dress standing at the foot of Finn's bed watching over him.

…

He arrived at the hospital around the time he was sure everyone at Dalton would be returning to their dorms for the free afternoon. Some of the glee members were still there, Mercedes among them. He wasn't sure how he felt about that. Mercedes knew what was happening, and she was his best friend, her presence was only natural. The others…he didn't want them to think Finn lost it. That would destroy his stepbrother.

He eyed the group cautiously as he approached Mercedes. "How is he?"

"He still sleeping," his best friend answered. She noticed him glancing at the others and shrugged, "they wanted to come. They know everything."

"They what?" Kurt straightened up.

"That's not cool, you not telling us," Puck said suddenly, among the group. "What, you can't trust us?"

"He didn't want anyone to know," Kurt answered lamely. He'd been regretting this. Now that everyone knew, he'd have to face the brunt of it while Finn lay comfortably in his bed sleeping straight through it.

"I'm his best friend!" Puck snapped, stepping out of the group towards him. "We could have looked out for him."

"And how do you think that would make him feel?" Kurt barked back, "he didn't want you guys to think he was crazy, he wanted to live as normally as possible."

"People would have started noticing if their quarterback can't even pick up a fucking ten pound weight," he seethed. Kurt frowned, about to ask him to clarify if the door hadn't opened at that moment.

Burt's head poked through. The group instantly quieted, but he ignored them once he spotted his son. "Kurt – " he stumbled back in surprise when his son hugged him, "Finn's fine…he actually woke up just now."

"What?" Kurt squeaked, pulling back, "is he…the doctor…is he okay?"

Burt eyed the group uneasily as Kurt had done before. He leaned down and muttered, "you'd better get in there."

Not wasting a second, Kurt breezed into the room, faintly hearing his father telling his friends to wait a moment.

Carole was standing by the bed with teary eyes while the doctor and nurse warily approached a wide awake Finn who was slowly inching to the back corner of his bed. His eyes were darting between the three adults and he was gasping in fear. Anyone could tell he was a few seconds from screaming. Kurt ran to his stepbrother and pulled him into a hug.

He could feel Finn's trembling body slowly relax in his arms and rest against him in relief. It was painful holding him like this, he could feel just how thin Finn had become, a shallow hint of bones starting to pressing against him. There was a time when he'd only feel powerful muscles… He blinked back tears, and swallowed past his earlier fear that he had lost his stepbrother. Skinny or not, he was still alive.

"Wh-what's going on?" Finn asked hesitantly, now aware that he was in the hospital bed, and not school. From what he could see, with his mother a second from crying and the doctor and nurse looking down at him grimly, something bad must have happened.

"You started seeing things again at school," his mother quivered, "you…you…"

"You attacked three of your schoolmates," the doctor finished. Finn froze; he didn't remember such a thing. All he remembered was getting dressed for class after gym, the rest was…was blank.

"Who were they?" he mentally prayed it wasn't anyone he knew, or that he'd done any serious damage. The doctor opened his mouth to answer, but the door burst open and Rachel rushed in.

"Finn?" she stopped short at the foot of his bed uncertainly, a strange look of fear in her eyes. Finn noticed the bandage on her head and felt his whole body turn cold.

No…

Not Rachel…

"Finn?" she hesitantly took a step closer. He was agonizingly aware that she wasn't very willing to be this close to him; probably for fear that he might hurt her again. How could he hurt her? How badly did he hurt her? He couldn't remember. Rachel's face twisted up in anger and pain, "why didn't you tell me?"

He swallowed, his throat too constricted to give an answer. She probably hated him now; he wouldn't be surprised if she broke up with him on the spot. He looked away, unable to look at her without seeing the bandage, the amount of damage he'd done.

"You didn't trust me, did you?" her quiet voice shook with anger, "you thought I'd tell everyone, didn't you?" Finn winced. There was no need for him to say anything, she understood. "You could have trusted me, Finn! I wouldn't have told anyone, I would have helped you!"

"I'm sorry!" he bit the inside of his cheek to keep from crying, he'd been doing that a lot lately. "I didn't want you to think I was – "

"You're not crazy, Finn! It's an illness! _I would have understood!"_ she yelled, bottom lip trembling.

Knowing he'd get questioned for clutching onto his stepbrother, Kurt let him go and took a few steps back, mentally noting Finn's unwillingness to part with him as he weakly clung onto his arm before reluctantly breaking away. He was probably scared of seeing monsters again once Kurt stopped touching him.

Nothing happened, but now Finn seemed more nervous than ever. Rachel stepped in Kurt's place and held her boyfriends hands.

"I'm sorry…" Finn said brokenly, still not looking at her. All the anger in Rachel dissipated into helplessness. She pulled him into a tight embrace and kissed his cheek, fear of getting hurt again gone.

Kurt looked away, old feelings of jealousy churning up at the sight of the couple. He had a crush on Blaine, but he wasn't completely over Finn just yet. And it still hurt to see couples display their love whereas he wasn't allowed the pleasure of doing the same, or experience the same.

But Finn needed him. For now, that was enough.

One by one, the others crept into the room to see their glee co-captain. Kurt settled into the background as they argued and worried themselves dry. He already had to face their adversity to Finn's secret, now it was Finn's turn. Kurt eyed the nurse and doctor curiously, from all the yelling and crying, he would have expected them to take control and kick them out, but they did nothing and merely watched. He was pretty sure this wasn't a very professional thing to do. He glanced at his parents. They seemed okay with the yelling too. Probably because it was better than showers of tears.

Eventually, everyone started filing out, the last two being Rachel and Mercedes, of which Kurt was thankful for the latter. He gave her a hug, grateful for her support.

"We'll talk soon," he promised as he pulled away. Mercedes nodded.

"There's something I need to tell you," she said darkly, taking him out of the room. He glanced back to his parents, but they were busy huddled over Finn with Rachel still in his arms. Kurt waited patiently once Mercedes was sure they were out of hearing distance. She seemed nervous. "I don't think Finn's coming back to McKinley."

"What?" he said in a tiny voice, thrown off.

"He hurt Azimio and Karofsky, their parents are probably gonna try and put Finn in jail, or – "

"That's impossible," Kurt frowned, "he wasn't aware of what he did, and he's underage."

"I know," Mercedes nodded, "but the most I think they can get away with is expelling him from the school." Kurt rubbed the bridge of his nose. Of course. That was only logical. After Finn's destructive display, any school would have him expelled. He looked at his friend for help, but she seemed just as blank on suggestions.

"They had to have been provoking him," he mumbled.

"That's what I think, but it still doesn't put Finn in the clear, we have no proof," she shook her head grimly, "and even if we did it would still give the school more reason to expel him, he hurt Azimio and Karofsky pretty bad, I don't think they'll be playing football for a while." Kurt bit the corner of his lip, not guilty of taking joy over his old bullies getting beaten down after the torture they put him through.

That didn't answer his current problem though. He let out a long exhausted sigh. "We'll figure something out," he tried to give his friend an encouraging smile. She still looked worried.

"Is he…do you think he's like those kids in the news?" she asked cautiously. Kurt's face hardened.

"Finn's not suicidal," he said sharply.

"I'm not saying he is," she explained quickly, "but…" she put on her winter coat, which Kurt noted with distracted pride was his birthday gift to her. It warmed him that she was putting it to good use. "All of those reports are becoming weirder and weirder. The parents of the victims say how towards the end they started having nightmares and hallucinations – "

"Finn's not going to kill himself," Kurt cut in firmly.

"Okay," Mercedes relented, "I'm just worried," she zipped up her coat just as Rachel finally emerged from the room. Both friends looked away guiltily as she stood beside Mercedes, trying her best to look as though she hadn't been crying for the past few hours, or that she was distraught over discovering that her boyfriend was suffering from a mental illness. "We'd better go," Mercedes broke the awkward silence, pulling Kurt into a hug. "Talk later?" Kurt nodded wordlessly. She gave a tiny smile and started walking with Rachel towards the elevators when she remembered something, "by the way," she turned sideways, "do you have a cousin or something? She was in the room before you guys came, and then she disappeared, which is weird since I was in front of the door the whole time."

Kurt frowned, "a cousin? What did she look like?"

Mercedes shrugged, "I dunno, I only saw her for a second. She was blonde, probably six? Blue dress…like Alice in Wonderland straight out from the book."

His heart stopped, recalling the last time a girl like that had been mentioned. The phantom girl responsible for Finn's car accident.

Mercedes saw her? Did that mean she was real?

Or was this the beginnings of Mercedes seeing things as well?

"Kurt?" his best friend's brows knitted with concern. He swallowed thickly. He already had to go through the anguish of Finn suffering from schizophrenia, he didn't want his best friend, his reliable and sturdy source of comfort to suffer from it as well. He wouldn't be able to stand it.

"We – we don't have a relative like that, no," he answered heavily.

Mercedes shrugged, not too worried, "must've been my imagination. See you later," she waved and went around the corner at the end of the hallway. Kurt stared at the empty spot with growing apprehension. He didn't consider himself a religious person, or a believer in mystical gods even after his father's heart attack.

But he found himself praying for Mercedes's safety.

…

The doctor and nurse had left them to their privacy shortly after the group was allowed to see him. He was feeling tired again after the meds the nurse had injected in him. He stared wretchedly at his lap, wholly aware that he probably wouldn't be able to go back to school after what he did. The problem now was dealing with the after effects.

And the fact that he hurt Rachel. The one person who truly did not deserve it.

"Mom?" his voice felt so small, like he was a lost little boy again. His mother looked up at him, probably thinking the same from the look on her face. Guilt ripped through him. If it weren't for him, she wouldn't be this upset. He almost didn't want to say it, but it slipped out anyway. He had nowhere else to turn to. "What happens now?"

Carole bit her lip, just as lost as her son. "I…I don't know," she sniffled. It was a terrible thing, she felt, for a mother to be unable to guide their child in such a dire situation. "We'll get through this though, I…"

"It's okay," he tried to smile, or at least look somewhat positive. "I'll be – "

Not for the first time, the door barged open, this time a total stranger entered. The family looked up in surprise as the young man stopped in front of Finn, looking down at him through his slim glasses as though he were something beneath him. He was dressed in a black important looking suit, holding a manila envelope in one hand, and his Burberry coat in the other.

"Good evening," he nodded to the huddled family, "I am Laurence Niac," he pulled out a business card from his chest pocket and handed it to the confused Burt, "representative to the Apate Home for the Youth, I was called in to see you."

Finn shrank under the man's stare, he looked like a vampire with his narrow face, slicked back hair and wiry frame. "What for?"

"There are already reports buzzing around of you attacking your schoolmates today," the man was quick to answer, "You'll be expecting some reporters soon by the way. In order to prevent another chance of you falling prey to your hallucinations, we are institutionalizing you to the Apate home until you have fully recovered."

Finn paled in horror.

Laurence merely gave a lopsided sad smile, "I'm sorry."


	7. Institutionalized

…

Chapter Seven

Institutionalized

…

The house had been decorated from top to bottom in greens and reds. Little clumps of mistletoe hanging on the ceiling. Obnoxious red stockings pinned in front of their bedroom doors. There were cute mechanical displays of Santa snoring, snowmen dancing, elves singing, reindeers glowing. There was soft music playing from the living room, Jingle Bell Rock setting the atmosphere of the warm family get together. The dinner table was elaborately decorated in golds and reds, a bottle of champagne chilling in the center of the wide arrangement of delicious food.

But they weren't eating yet. They were in the living room, huddled near a huge pine tree decorated with lights, ornaments, fake snow, and topped with a bright gold star. It was a mixture of both their Christmas decorations. Kurt's first ceramic handprint. Finn's little cowboy ornament. The Hummel silver pineapple. The Hudson china angel.

The tree felt so much more complete with the family's individual decorations dotting it.

It felt right.

Finn looked at the massive pile of multi-colored and glittering presents nestled underneath the tree. A toy train was circling it as if protecting the pile from prying hands. Finn couldn't wait to open them. He loved Christmas, it never failed to make him feel like a kid again.

He looked over to his mother leaning against his stepfather in the squashy sofa by the TV. Kurt was talking animatedly with them over something he couldn't fathom, sitting with his legs up on the other sofa and swimming in his extra large candy cane themed pajamas.

His mother looked so happy. This was how it was supposed to be. Finn smiled, glad for agreeing to let Burt marry his mother. He'd never seen her smile so warmly, as if her heart was floating in heaven.

He sat down next to Kurt, barely distracting him from his rant. It was only then that he realized he'd been holding a cup of eggnog. He couldn't remember getting it, he wasn't much of a fan of the stuff, but if it was in his hand, he might as well drink it.

"What'd you get me Uncle Finn!"

He looked down and saw a little blonde girl in a blue dress. She was sitting on her knees, eyes shining with excitement at the prospect of opening her gifts.

He didn't know this girl.

The television turned on by itself, a reporter standing in front of Dalton Academy on a snowy day delivering her urgent news.

"…Was found in the second floor bathroom attempting suicide with pieces of a broken mirror…"

Before he could see a picture of whoever the reporter was talking about, there were suddenly several televisions in the room, all tuned in to different news reports. Finn twisted around, disoriented from trying to pay attention to all of them. The toy train slowed to a stop and keeled over with a final sigh.

"…She was captain of the school's cheerleading squad…"

"…found dead in her boyfriend's apartment complex…"

"…took a dive from the twenty four story skyscraper…"

"…he had no traces of drugs or alcohol in his system…"

They gradually became louder and less audible, joining together in a mob of sound. Finn shrank in his seat and looked to his family if they noticed. They were still talking pleasantly, as if the noise didn't exist.

Then it all muted out again. Suzy Pepper, grey and chap lipped in rags and dried blood, stood before him with the clown standing right behind her, pinning a knife threateningly against her neck and grinning madly with his makeup cracked and smeared. Finn felt his heart stop. Everything went cold.

Silent tears were rolling down her ashen cheeks; shaky breathes creating little puffs of steam.

"Help us," she begged quietly.

…

He opened his eyes; his pupils getting adjusted to the bright light of his room. It was a tiny space with no personality. Carpeted in gray, with a lone barred window by his bed, and a scrawny desk sitting in front of it so that when he'd sit in it, he'd be reminded of his prison as he looked at the window pointing to the winter chilled city that felt so far away.

For a second he didn't take all this in and thought he was back in the safety of his home, with its new smell, unpacked boxes and dull sounds of life.

This room was so quiet and stark white it held a steady scream in his ears. Finn curled up in his uncomfortable flat bed and pulled his thin crinkly sheets over him, clutching onto his stiff one size too big patient attire of white pants and shirt. He felt gutted, just as he had in the past week he'd been in this nightmare.

He looked at the clock hanging over his desk. It was almost eleven in the morning. If he remembered correctly, it was a Thursday. He should be one class period away from having lunch right about now. He'd be finishing English Literature.

Finn had never felt so jealous of the kids in McKinley, enjoying the freedom of being bored shitless in their class, and exchanging gossip through the train of notes passed down each desk as the teacher turned to write something on the board. He wanted that again. He'd never skip another day of school if he could have his life back.

He shut his eyes tightly, hoping in vain that when he'd open them, he'd be waking up from a nightmare after dozing off in class.

The room was still there.

The only door opposite the window opened. Finn shut his eyes quickly, knowing that if he cast a glance at the intruder, he'd only see a monster.

"Morning, Mr. Hudson," the sweet voice of the nurse floated in his ear. "How are we doing today?" she pulled away the sheets he'd been so tightly pulling against him with ease.

"I want to go home," he mumbled, knowing it was futile saying so.

"'Fraid you can't," the nurse said with a grin in her voice, "you have to be able to see properly again before we can release you."

"If Kurt were here he'd be able to take them away," he argued grumpily. The nurse laughed lightly. She may have sounded pleasant, but all she was to Finn was obnoxious.

"Defeats the purpose of recovery, silly!" her voice squeaked, as if she were talking to a three year old who was too dumb to understand what she was saying. It only served to irritate Finn further, "you need to get over the hallucinations without your brother's help, got to do it on your own!"

Sighing, Finn sat up, eyes still tightly shut. In the short time he spent at Apate, he couldn't understand the logic behind tossing him in a prison while his only source of salvation was miles away. Even more, he couldn't understand how Carole and Burt so easily let him get taken away. All that representative guy did was throw in a few fancy words and they were sold.

The only one against it aside from him was Kurt. Unfortunately a teenager's protest against his own parents and one sleazy man meant nothing. All Kurt could do was watch in fury as Finn was taken into the car waiting for him at the exit of the hospital.

He may have beaten the crap out of Karofsky and Azimio, but no one was killed, and their parents hadn't taken him to court just yet. He was still under aged. How the hell did he end up here?

How could his own mother throw him here?

"Ready to go to the recreation center – "

"No!" he cut in quickly. The nurse paused in the middle of checking his pulse and temperature. They had been through this argument before, and Finn would always refuse to leave his room. He was in a building full of psychos in the form of monsters without Kurt to save him, like hell he was leaving his room no matter how bad he suffered from the cabin fever.

"Do you really want to stay in this room forever?" the nurse asked seriously, letting go of his arm, shuffling through the tray she brought with her. "It may lengthen your time here, your illness could worsen."

Finn bit the corner of his lip. "How long have the others been here?" he asked quietly.

The nurse shrugged. "This building was made pretty recent so I guess…the longest would be four months so far? She's still here."

"What about holidays?" he asked worriedly, "we're at least let out for that, right?"

"Mmm…nope," she said innocently, "can't have the risk of that."

Finn's heart dropped. It was a week before Christmas, how was he going to recover that quickly? This was supposed to be their first Christmas together. They were supposed to enter the new _year_ together!

"That can't…this was gonna be our first…" he clenched his fists, his chest burning in pain, "why can't you guys let me out for one day?"

"Can't be done," the nurse stood up and placed a small cup in his hands, "take that, it'll help with your nerves when you start seeing things."

Shoulders sagging in defeat, Finn brought the cup to his lips and swallowed the two pills jingling inside. He winced as they went down his throat and accepted the cup of water given to him. He wasn't a fan of consuming anything that had no flavor and felt like rocks in his throat. Gratefully finishing the water, he handed the empty cup back.

A pregnant pause.

The nurse cleared her throat pointedly. Finn frowned for a second before remembering what she was waiting for and opened his mouth to prove to her that he took the pills.

"Good," she took her tray, the contents tapping loudly against each other. "John'll be up with lu – "

The door opened suddenly. Both turned expectantly to the intruder as he stepped inside. Finn kept his eyes firmly shut despite curiosity making him want to open them.

"You have a visitor," it was a gruff no nonsense voice riddled with years of strife. It was an unpleasant voice, "it's your brother, Kirk? Dirk? That pansy ass boy."

"Kurt?" Finn sat up quickly, too happy to notice the insult. "He's here?"

"Yeah, he's waiting for you in the visitor's lounge, I'll take you there."

Finn's smile dropped a fraction, "c-can't he come here? He's been allowed in my room before."

"No," the man said flatly, "there's nothing out there that's gonna eat ya, just follow me, it's not far."

The nurse huffed grumpily, "why's he here again? He should be at school, and seeing him is only going to worsen Mr. Hudson's recovery."

Knowing she would probably convince the man to send Kurt away, Finn scrambled out of bed, spending a few minutes to find his shoes, and blindly reached for the door, crashing into a large body.

Grunting in surprise, the man steadied Finn and held his shoulder, pulling him out of his room. "Ridiculous," he muttered under his breath, "can't you at least wear sunglasses or something?"

"But I'll still see – OW!" Finn stumbled around a corner under the man's tightened grip.

"Might as well give you a walking stick," Finn had an inkling that he was shaking his head, "here's what I don't get, you see monsters, right?"

"Yeah," Finn managed to squeak out as they turned another rough corner. He was pretty sure there would be bruises on his shoulder.

"Even if you know they're not real, and the people you think are monsters won't hurt you, why do you still fight them? It's only going to get you in trouble."

"But they have hurt me," Finn protested, squirming under the steely grip, "one even chased me out of my house – can you loosen up! My arm's gonna fall off!"

"What?" the man said dumbly, "what are you talking about? I'm not even squeezing your shoulder," sighing, he moving his hand to Finn's back, "weak little…"

They stopped for a second as a door creaked open. Finn stumbled forward when the man pushed him in. A chair scraped against the floor from far off, followed by the crisp claps of expensive shoes rushing toward him.

"Finn!" Kurt's wonderfully familiar voice exclaimed. Before Finn could head toward the voice, arms wrapped around him tightly. He could feel the rough fabric of a jean jacket hugging those arms. It had only been a week, but it made him realize how badly he missed the small body against him. He hugged him back just as tightly.

Another chair moved. It was so sudden that the unfortunate chair clattered to the floor. Finn hesitantly opened his eyes, momentarily blinded from the bright light reflecting nastily against the tan walls and metal table. He blinked several times to get bearings, at first seeing the neatly combed brown hair of his stepbrother, and then seeing another familiar face standing in the background by a rather unfriendly looking table.

"Rachel," he said softly, taking in her slim figure standing perfectly straight in her black sweater and tight fitting jeans, her perfectly brushed hair resting lightly on her shoulder, plump lips parted uncertainly. After a week away from her, she seemed so much more beautiful than before. Then the guilt of what he'd done to her settled in again, and he too found himself uncertain of her presence.

He felt Kurt stiffen against him and quickly pull away. Finn tried not to look too confused. A part of him wanted to keep Kurt as close as possible, but another knew it would look strange to Rachel.

Despite his attention focused on his stepbrother and girlfriend, Finn noted with disappointment that Carole or even Burt weren't present. They hadn't visited him once since he was institutionalized.

Rachel looked between him and Kurt, quietly assessing the strange situation before hesitantly approaching him and giving him a hug. Finn held her gently, taking a moment to breathe in her flowery perfume, her soft wavy hair against his cheek, and warm and curvy body against his. It felt like years since he held Rachel like this. Breaking the embrace was just as painful as it was with Kurt.

"Why aren't you guys at school?" he asked as they each took a seat by the table, unable to stop the smile of happiness from their visit.

"Yesterday there was another atta…" Rachel drifted off nervously. Finn quickly understood though, and his smile fell, "it was two this time…it happened in different parts of the school, so far the police are saying they're unrelated. Figgins decided to shut down the school on early holiday."

Two attacks? Finn frowned. After what happened with him, this was all starting to feel like a horror movie, only made worse since it was real. Whatever was happening, he could only describe it as some sick form of apocalypse.

"Did they see things like me?" he asked darkly. Rachel shrugged, just as upset herself, "who were they?" Both Rachel and Kurt exchanged uncomfortable glances. Finn looked from his girlfriend to his stepbrother demandingly. "Who were they?" he asked again.

"We don't know if they have the same illness," Rachel started, fiddling her fingers over the table, "but this was really bad, a lot of people got hurt, and someone was killed – none of our friends," she added, seeing the look of horror on Finn's face, "it's been all over the news, haven't you been watching it here?"

Finn shook his head numbly. His room carried no TV, but he was pretty sure the rec room did, he was just too afraid to go there.

"But who were they? Are they coming here?" he asked fearfully. Being under the same roof with a murderer wasn't a pleasant thought.

"We don't know," Rachel shook her head, a look of pain crossed her face, "the one who killed a kid was Jacob, and the other one…" she bit her lip, her expressions telling Finn she still couldn't believe it, "was Sam."

His eyes widened in shock. Rachel looked down at her hands, a look of helplessness upon her. Kurt looked just as grim faced, staring past the table.

"What's going on?" Rachel asked no one, but looking up at her boyfriend, "this is a nightmare; the whole world's gone nuts, how could three attacks happen to our school back to back like that?"

Finn couldn't give her an answer. He too looked at the table as if it could give them a solution, his guilt rising up again knowing he was one of people responsible for the attacks. What made it so frightening was that he had no control over his actions, and if he knew Sam, and even Jacob well enough, he was sure they weren't in control either. "Has anything happened at Dalton?" he asked.

Kurt shook his head. "No…not yet, at least. At this point, I wouldn't be surprised if something like this happened."

"Wait," he looked up, brows knitted, "aren't you skipping classes being here?"

Kurt shrugged. "I'm skipping today for other more pressing issues." Finn's frown deepened. His stepbrother leaned closer so that only he and Rachel could hear. It wasn't until now that Finn realized they weren't alone in the room. Aside from the several other empty tables, there was a guard by each exit, another reminder of how much of a prison Apate was. Kurt continued in a low whisper, "I don't like this place, after what they did to you I can't trust it. I'm taking it to court; I'm not letting them keep you away from us."

"What?" Finn felt a smile of relief tug at his lips, "how?"

"That's part of the reason we came to see you," Rachel whispered, "we need you to get proof of how they're treating you." Finn blinked and sat back in disbelief.

"How?" he repeated dumbly, "I'm too scared to even leave my room, the only reason I left was because of you," he nodded toward Kurt who blushed lightly. Rachel sat up indignantly. Finn bit his tongue, realizing he worded himself wrong, "be-because he can erase the hallucinations!" It didn't seem to work, Rachel still looked upset, but she didn't argue.

"Finn, you have to try," Kurt urged, quietly jittery with happiness that Finn would brave himself against his fears to see him, "the sooner you do it, the sooner you'll get out of here," he was whispering again, "dad and Carole wouldn't have let them take you so easily, there's something really wrong with this place, it's like they've hypnotized everyone."

Finn couldn't help it; he gave Kurt and odd look.

The shorter teen shook his head, "Think about it, would your mom let this place take you from her?"

He felt the pang of betrayal hit his chest once more as it had the day Carole agreed to have him institutionalized. It was true; it was totally out of character for her. She was the same woman who opened her arms to a pregnant and devastated Quinn the night she was kicked out of her own home. She wouldn't have done this to her own son. He was pretty sure Burt wouldn't either the way he was protective of Kurt and the family.

But how could they?

"No, she wouldn't," he replied softly, prickles of bitter tears lining his eyes. Rachel held his hand comfortingly. "Why…why did she do it?"

Rachel and Kurt exchanged the same uncomfortable look from before. Finn didn't notice, staring at the table.

"How is she?" he asked, "I haven't seen her in forever." When there was no answer, he looked up questioningly.

"Finn, there's something else," Kurt said quietly, voice laced in sadness and confusion. "She…" he looked to Rachel, "I don't know if I should…."

"What?" he hated it when people left their sentences unfinished; it always made him feel stupid and in the dark. "What's wrong with mom?"

Kurt bit his lip, regretting for letting it slip, "This isn't her fault, I'm convinced this place is behind it, it happened after they put you here…" he let out a frustrated breath, "I thought it was from the shock at first, but the same thing's happened to dad…they don't…" he scrunched his brow, "they don't remember you."

For a while Finn didn't speak. He looked at the two blankly, trying to let the words sink in. Burt and his own mother didn't remember him? He slowly shook his head, "that's impossible; I've only been gone for a week…it has to be shock…"

"I'm sorry," Kurt said brokenly, "I don't get it either, but you saw how that representative talked to them. Something happened that night, it wasn't normal."

Finn was only half listening. In a way it made sense, he hadn't gotten one visit from his mother, and he'd already gotten three from Kurt, though he hadn't mentioned any of the issues surrounding their parents until now. He set his jaw. Was it really possible that they were being controlled somehow? How the hell were they going to explain that in court?

Maybe Kurt was going crazy too.

"That can't…" he ran a frustrated hand through his hair, "my mom…" He tried to picture her face. The smile she'd always give him even when times were rough. Her glittering eyes that held a certain loneliness, but was shadowed in happiness.

It was all foggy to him. He could barely remember her laughter. Her hugs…anything…

And she forgot him in an instant.

He felt abandoned. The empty hole in his chest grew painfully wider. If there was anyone in the world he wanted to see the most, it was his mother. He didn't care if she looked like a goose or a frog, he needed her. She promised him that whatever happens; she would be there for him. How could she leave him like this?

What about the first Hummel/Hudson Christmas they were supposed to have?

Finn roughly wiped his eyes, desperate to not break down in front of his two visitors who were watching him anxiously. He couldn't deal with this right now, he needed a distraction.

"Are teenagers allowed to sue hospitals?" he asked, wanting to change the subject lest he really did start bawling his eyes out.

"Mr. Schue's helping us out," Rachel answered quickly, also wanting a change of subject, "we're trying to do the best we can."

"And once you're out, we can help our parents," Kurt nodded encouragingly, "we need your help though, without you there's no proof."

"Okay…" he nodded uncertainly, then jumped when a large and heavy hand was placed over his shoulder.

"Time's up," he said in his gruff tone. Finn looked up at him for the first time. He was a heavy set man with a cleanly shaved square jaw, beady eyes with permanently frowning brows, and muscles that were barely contained in his blue security guard uniform. He looked incredibly intimidating from the angle Finn was looking at.

Kurt and Rachel reluctantly stood up and each gave him a hug, the latter giving him a short but dearly missed kiss. He tried not to look too much like a baby and cry. They were his only family now if Kurt's words were true enough. Seeing them go out to freedom while he was stuck in an overbearingly white prison was a hard thing to do.

He hugged Kurt just as tightly as when he greeted him, unwilling to let his only cure leave him for who knows how long.

"Promise you'll help us out?" Kurt mumbled in his shirt, his slender arms wrapped comfortably around him. He didn't need to ask, Finn nodded, feeling the weight of abandonment on his shoulders again.

"I'll do anything, just get me out of here," he whispered vulnerably in Kurt's ear. The smaller boy bit his lip and nodded, tightening his hold around Finn.

"I'll see you soon." He let him go, but Finn pulled him back again, startling him.

With great reluctance, Finn relented in letting him go, and watched as he and Rachel left the room in silence. Finn hoped Kurt would stay true to his word and come back again by at least tomorrow.

The gruff security guard grabbed his arm, gently this time, and steered him back down the hall he'd walked blindly through.

"Where's the rec center?" Finn asked as they turned the corner.

The guard raised an eyebrow at him, but otherwise kept his gaze ahead, "I'll take you there." They walked in an uncomfortable silence as they twisted and turned the identical halls, all dressed in white and glistening in cleanliness. There were few occasions when they'd bump into other guards or nurses, but other than that not one patient could be found. At first Finn figured there probably wasn't much to start with until they walked past the double doors of a gigantic room that was occupied to the brim.

Finn's jaw slackened in shock.

In every nook and cranny of the room there were kids his age sitting or walking around aimlessly, talking quietly amongst themselves, and all wearing the same matching patients attire of pants and t-shirt. Some looked up curiously at the new guest before going back to whatever they were doing. There was no sign of happiness on their faces.

Numbly, Finn's eyes swept the room in shock.

These kids, all of them, had the same problem he had. How many more were there?

How many more would there be?


	8. Pandora's Box

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finn tries to find answers and Kurt has a horror story of his own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter was written before it became cannon that Blaine was younger than Kurt, so it's a little AU-ish here. If it bothers you guys too much, pretend that they just share a few classes where it doesn't matter what grade their in. I've had a few like that in high school :)

…

Chapter Eight

Pandora's Box

…

It was during lunch when he first saw her, standing by the trees outside and looking straight at him as he sat down with his friends in the cafeteria. She wasn't odd looking, just a cute blonde girl with a light blue summer dress and black Mary-Janes. If anything he was more worried about her being outside without a coat. That and her presence in an all boys private school was a bit out of place.

"What is it?"

He looked at his friend sitting across from him, a light frown on his face, but the little tilt of his lips saying he wasn't too concerned for him spacing off.

"Uh…" he looked back outside where the girl was, but she wasn't there, "nothing," he was about to add 'I must have been seeing things' but figured that wasn't something to say so lightly. His friend was going through family issues after all.

Teal eyes blinked at him, and the boy shrugged, returning to his healthy helping of lunch. "So about the homework for history, was it chapter six or sixteen?"

History? He tried thinking back to the assignment. History, history….

"Chapter six?" he answered unsurely. His friend eyed him with a dully arched eyebrow, "no idea, don't worry about it though, the teacher's not hardcore about homework as the other teachers."

Picking up his fork, Kurt started eating his salad, "believe me," he said, "I have other more pressing things to worry about than schoolw0ork."

Blaine watched him as he unenthusiastically picked at his food. He didn't know Kurt for very long, but he was fond of him, and it was a rare occasion when he'd see him truly smile. It was rotten luck that he became friends with him while he was going through a hard part in his life.

"How are your parents?"

"They still have no idea Finn exists," Kurt said glumly, "all of his pictures, and belongings…they think it's all my stuff, and that he was an old friend who I've lost contact with," he dropped his fork distractedly, "you should hear Carole when I try to tell her Finn's her son, she has a _story_ about him – that him and I were childhood friends and he sends me a picture of him every now and then – what mother says that about her own child!?"

Blaine let Kurt vent out his anger. He had no idea what the other boy was going through, but he had to at least help by offering an ear to listen. It was all he could do anyway.

Kurt slumped in his chair in defeat, his face looking much older, "I don't know what to do with them," he sighed, "and Finn's all by himself in that institution, I can't even help him take the visions away."

Blaine looked down at his lunch. There was nothing he could do either.

He reached out and held Kurt's hand; it felt delicate and undamaged in his own. Like porcelain. "This isn't going to be forever, Finn'll get better, I've seen him, he's strong." Kurt looked up at him with a weak smile, "and I'll be there to help you deal with this."

Suddenly he felt the presence of someone standing right behind him, their cold breath ghosting over his ear. From the corner of his eye he could see blonde hair and a blue dress.

The din of the cafeteria was muted out for a few seconds and everything seemed to run slow as she whispered one bone-curdling word into his ear.

"Coward."

…

Apate was an institution that housed both men and woman, or in this case, boys and girls. Finn wasn't aware of this fact until he went to the rec room where most of the patients spent their time. From what he could get, the reason why he never heard a girl near his room was because they were rooming in another far off section of the building.

"There's a bunch of sections, actually," a fourteen year old boy explained to him lightly. They were sitting in one of the old uncomfortable might-as-well-be-plastic sofa's in the room. "The biggest one is the split between the chicks and dudes, but there are other sections that classify the real psychos who are too dangerous to be around others, and the recovery section where we stay for a bit after the injections – we get one occasionally to see if we can get cured of our illness."

"We're guinea pigs?" Finn asked ludicrously, filing away this piece of information for later.

The boy shrugged, "got to figure out a cure from somewhere right? No one's died or gotten horribly sick yet," he studied him closely, "you said you were Finn Hudson right? There've been rumors running about you ever since you came."

"What kinds?" he tried to sound disinterested. Great, not only did he have to suffer outlandish stories from school, now he had to suffer here.

"That you can hop through dreams."

Finn did a double take. He hadn't expected that, and as he gazed into the boy's wondering eyes, he could see why he was taken into Apate. "That's…" he really couldn't think of a nice way to put this, "…stupid."

"Not really," the young teen shook his head before pointing to a girl on the other side of the room sitting in one of the sofas reading a book, "when she doesn't have her head in a book, Lucy can take anything as flimsy as a feather and make it stronger than titanium."

Now the crazy was making itself known. Finn tried not to look too disappointed. The boy seemed so normal too.

"And you can do…?" he humored him, waving for the boy to continue.

The small teen grinned toothily, "I can control gravity."

"Great, can you show me?" Finn hadn't meant to sound sarcastic, but the boy didn't take offense.

"It only works in dreams," he explained, "you'd have to jump into my dreams to get a demonstration."

"But anything can happen in dreams," his eye twitched involuntarily, "so of course you can control gravity."

The boy shrugged, "I know it's stupid, but you see monsters in dreams, right?" Finn nodded mutely, "then how can you see them in reality?"

"Because I'm crazy," Finn deadpanned, not feeling too terrible about himself when admitting this to a stranger who was probably crazier than him, "what about the nurses?" he changed the subject, still trying to get viable information from the patients, "Don't you get the feeling they're mocking us more than helping us?"

The boy stared at him through light hazel eyes for a long while. Finn was about to repeat the question when he shrugged nonchalantly, "ever heard of Pandora's Box?"

The tall teen blinked, caught off guard by this change of subject. "Y-yeah…?"

The teen grinned toothily, "I'd…well, I think _we'd_ all like to think of you and your brother as Hope."

Finn sighed, making no sense of the gibberish the boy was spewing. He made to get up when a thought struck him. "How'd you know I have a brother?" Maybe he saw Kurt going to his room in earlier visits.

The boy laughed, pulling his knees up the sofa and hugging them, "you told me in a dream, I'm not surprised you don't remember, I mean, it's a dream, right? They fade when you wake up."

He was still making no sense. Knowing his stay was overrun, Finn got up to leave. The boy grabbed his hand.

"By the way, when you see the monsters again, it's not schizophrenia, it's something else," he said mysteriously. Finn gently pulled away, confused by the statement. "I'm Alan, just so you know…and thanks."

"For what?"

Alan smiled warmly, "for saving my life."

…

He woke up back in his bedroom, or rather cell. There was a dizzying fizz in his head from the medicine injected in him earlier. He sighed in frustration, turning to lie on his back and stare at the stark white ceiling with its one block of light. The room was dimming as the sun was setting, its white walls stained in oranges and reds.

He looked at the calendar he was given earlier, hanging beside his desk with the days marked off. In two days it would be Christmas Eve and he still had no viable proof to give to Kurt so that he could sue the institution.

After Kurt left with Rachel he tried talking to the patients, but all they would mumble was incoherent gibberish and jabber on about dolphins and metaphors. From what he could gather from the nurses, if it was the truth at all, these patients had been here much longer than him, and their illnesses hadn't developed to its peak until recently.

Which had Finn wondering when the peak of his illness would hit him.

There was a knock at the door. Finn looked at the clock. It was four forty-five. The nurse wouldn't be seeing him for another two hours. Scrambling out of his bed and getting momentarily woozy from the room spinning, Finn grabbed the strip of cloth lying by his desk and tied it over his eyes.

"Come in," he called, feeling around for his bed and sitting on it.

The door clicked open followed by the shuffling of someone entering. "Hey."

Finn visibly relaxed, recognizing the awkward tone. "Hey, Sam."

There was a pause of silence for which Finn could be sure that the blond was staring at his blindfold. He could hear Sam walk closer and sit by his desk.

"You missed lunch, I got you a sandwich."

At the mention of food, Finn's stomach growled, reminding him that he hadn't eaten anything prior to the injection. He hesitantly reached out and felt a napkin heavy with the sandwich land in his hand. "Thanks," he murmured, taking a bite after making sure his mouth wouldn't land on the napkin. "How are you doing?"

The following day after Rachel and Kurt told him that there were two other attacks in school, the two people responsible arrived to the institution. Unable to see what happened for obvious reasons, Finn was only able to listen.

Jacob was the loudest one of the pair, getting dragged to his room as he screamed and cursed at the guards pulling him along. After hearing the manic shrieks filled with threats, Finn didn't doubt the boy would be crazy enough to kill someone.

He didn't hear Sam say anything except a gloomy greeting to him as he walked past. Finn would learn later that day that he was suffering the same problems with his parents as he was.

It had been nearly a week since his arrival and Sam received no visits from his mother or father. It was only through some investigation from Kurt and Rachel that he discovered that they too had forgotten him.

"I'm all right," Sam replied quietly, the rustling of clothes telling Finn he was shrugging, "it's just…it's almost Christmas and…yeah…"

Finn nodded, his appetite waning. As much as he protested with the nurses, he knew he wouldn't be able to spend the holiday with his family. "This was supposed to be our first Christmas," he mumbled, morosely chewing on his bite of tuna sandwich. "Fucking hate this…"

"I tried talking to the others, still nothing," Sam had been informed of Kurt trying to sue Apate, and was desperately helping as well. Unfortunately, he was facing the same problems as Finn. "What if we escaped?"

"They'll catch us," Finn scoffed, taking another bite of his sandwich. "Remember what happened to Alan?"

Alan was a quiet and small fourteen year old with mousy hair and a permanently blank expression. No one paid him much attention until he tried to break out of the institution by jumping out the window of the boys' bathroom. The guards were outside waiting for him and he was sent to solitary confinement straight after that.

Neither Sam nor Finn were put into solitary, but from what they could gather, it was a narrow room with no space to lie down or even sit. The longest anyone had been in one was a week and they came out more nuts than before. Finn was sure this was perfect grounds to sue Apate, but a strange thing happened when he and Sam attempted to tell Kurt and Rachel this discovery.

They kept changing the subject.

Writing it out didn't help either, so Kurt and Rachel left with no new material and greater worry over Finn and Sam's sanity.

"We're trapped here," Sam said, interrupting Finn's thoughts. "this place isn't normal and we can't even tell anyone."

Finn nodded darkly, he finished his sandwich in silence, his mind drifting back to his recent dream. "What can you do?" he asked curiously.

"What?" Sam frowned at Finn, "what do you mean? We're stuck here, we can't do anything."

"No I mean…" he sighed, knowing he would sound nuts for this, "I can see monsters in reality, Alan can control gravity, what can you do?"

A pregnant silence.

"Dude what are you talking about?" he tone said everything. Finn crumbled the napkin in embarrassment.

"You never explained why you attacked those guys," he said slowly, hesitantly, "what did you see…or feel?"

The silence that followed was longer than the last. Finn fiddled with his crumpled napkin, thinking he should change the subject. The last thing he wanted was his friend thinking he was losing it more than he already was. Besides, he asked him about that day several times before and the blond was too stubborn to answer. He re-crumbled the napkin, a new subject on the tip of his tongue.

"There was a…a voice in my head who told me to attack them," Sam said quietly, voice laced in shame, "I didn't want to, but my body wouldn't listen…she kept telling me I was special."

"She?"

"Yeah…she said her name was Alice. She said the guys I beat up were…demons…she said they were demons."

"Who were they really?"

"I don't know," he head Sam shrug again, "they weren't hurt badly, but…" he paused, unsure of whether to say this or not. "This is gonna sound weird, but it stood out to me and I can't get it out of my head…one of the guys had a shirt with a black and white clown, there was an arrow under it and it kept changing directions whenever the guy moved…I must have been seeing things."

Finn's blood ran cold.

…

Classes were over and students and faculty alike were exiting Dalton Academy. Kurt, however, was straggling behind.

He was worried.

It had been a habit of theirs that every day after school; Kurt would drive Blaine to a café or restaurant and just enjoy each other's company. Recently, though, it was more of Blaine cheering him up than anything else. Kurt was grateful to his friend and crush, but it didn't stop his guilt of unceremoniously pulling the boy into his own problems.

But Mercedes had gone MIA recently and he had no one else to talk to.

So it was odd that Blaine, who would usually be waiting for him at the door of his classroom, was nowhere to be found. He'd been acting strange after lunch as well. Always looking over his shoulder, and not really paying attention to what he was saying. As indignant as Kurt was of being ignored, he noted the odd look of fear clouding Blaine's eyes as they darted back and forth distractedly.

Rachel had described this to him before. This was how Finn acted when he was still in school.

Dread filled Kurt. He was the only one standing in the middle of the hallway, yet Blaine still didn't make his appearance. He had a bad feeling.

'He's probably in the bathroom fixing his hair,' Kurt tried to assure himself, knowing full well that Blaine didn't care much for his hair as he did, though that was on an epic scale since the boy constantly made sure his hair wasn't out of place. Kurt was just more fussy for style. He pulled out his phone and sent a quick text.

_Hey, where are you?_

He stood there, staring at his phone for a good ten minutes, but no reply came. Another thing to worry about. Blaine always replied to his messages. In fact, he would usually be the one to initiate messages what with him being a self proclaimed text addict.

Kurt looked down both ends of the empty hall once more. He'd have to search him out himself.

…

Rachel considered herself a good friend despite her stuck up manner and selfish ambitions. If truths needed to be told in order to help others, she wouldn't hesitate to tell them; even if certain truths would initially hurt the very people she was helping. She would do the ridiculous for her friends, not batting an eye if such ridiculousness would put her in danger.

Of course, her friends wouldn't believe her selfless efforts of protecting them. It would just be assumed that she was in some twisted way, benefiting herself.

Which, of course, wasn't true.

…Well. Maybe a little bit.

So when she got a text from Mercedes asking for her help the first thing she did was stare at the message for a long moment, unable to comprehend why anyone would ever approach her for help, especially someone as proud as the diva who sent such a strange text.

The second thing she did was slip out of her pajamas for a rushed change of clothes and ask her dads to drive her to said diva's home. Her parents would do anything for her, and seeing how flustered and anxious their daughter was, it didn't take long for them to take her to Mercedes's.

And now she found herself in the girl's bedroom, sitting next to her on her bed as said girl tiredly ran a hand through her devastatingly ignored hair. Rachel observed her closely.

There were developing bags under her eyes, and a general sense of exhaustion written all over her face. Her eyes were red from recently crying, and if she didn't know any better, Rachel could swear Mercedes had lost weight.

"I think…I'm seeing things," she said shakily, avoiding eye contact.

Rachel stiffened. After having your boyfriend get thrown into a nuthouse, it wasn't very humorous to have a friend tell you they were suffering the same problems. "What?" she said sharply.

Mercedes swallowed. "I'm seeing things."

"Mercedes, don't play with me – "

"It's not like what Finn's got," she shook her head, looking at the bed sheets covering her lap. "It started with a little girl, but now it's a clown…I – I think he wants to kill me."

"A clown?" Rachel squeaked, recalling her discussions with Finn whenever she visited him, "was he black and white?"

Mercedes nodded. "Yeah and…" tears filled her eyes, "I need help, Rachel. He wants me to kill myself but…" she rubbed her eyes, shaking her head mournfully, "I don't wanna die. I've been too scared of going outside in case…" her voice was shaking, "and Kurt needs me right now…I don't want to go to some crazy house…" she covered her face as she fell into a fit of quiet sobs. Rachel leaned over and held her close.

"Do your parents know?"

Mercedes shook her head miserably, "I've been telling them I have a cold. I can't tell them, they'll put me in Apate like the other parents have with Finn, and Sam."

Rachel's lips formed a thin line, understanding her friend's fear. She was terrified of her parents forgetting her.

A knock at the door tore the two apart. Mercedes grabbed a fresh tissue from her bedside table and made work on sniffling and wiping off her tears. The door opened and a woman's head poked through.

"I've got soup, hun," she said, fully entering the room, "try and have as much as you can," she approached her daughter and placed the bowl of chicken noodle soup at the bed side table, leaning down to kiss the upset girl's forehead before turning to Rachel, who was quietly noting how Mercedes hadn't backed away in embarrassment from the display of affection, confirming her fear of losing her parents. "Rachel, right?" her mother asked with a pleasant grin, "would you like anything? Water? Soda?"

"I'm fine," she shook her head. Nodding, Mercedes's mother left with a final ruffle of her daughter's hair.

"Try not to get to close or you'll catch a cold too," she called as the door closed behind her.

Rachel turned back to her friend who had taken the bowl and was staring at it glumly.

"You're not going to Apate," Rachel said firmly, getting the other girl to look up at her questioningly, "I'll get Puck and the others to visit and watch out for you. We'll get you help, but not from Apate, I'm sure there are still legitimate doctors out there." She held her hand comfortingly, it felt cold and clammy. "I can sleep over if you want."

The Mercedes shut her eyes, releasing a few more tears as she let out a breath of relief.

"Thank you."

…

It was a rare occasion for Finn to leave his room if he wasn't given the magic touch by Kurt. But after what Sam told him earlier, he couldn't stop his curiosity.

The security guard directing him around the maze of halls was gripping him by the arm. Finn noted with worry the feel of scales and claws. The hallucinations were getting worse. He felt like a dragon was hold him.

He had to stick through it though. It'd already taken much convincing to get the guard to take him where he wanted, blindfolded and all.

He honestly didn't expect the trip to be so short when they paused briefly by a door and entered a chilly room void of any sound. The monster holding him leaned over his ear, burning breath sizzling at Finn's skin.

"You have five minutes," it growled, pushing him to a door in front of him

Hesitantly, Finn felt around at the steel door and found a small array of bars for a window. "H-hello?" he called, "Alan?"

"I can see you, you know," a quiet voice replied. Finn flinched, not expecting a response. "What do you want?"

"I wanted to see you," he said, wishing he could take off the blindfold to properly talk, but knowing he would come face to face with some grizzly monster. "I have a question…well…a lot…"

"And?" the boy asked a little impatiently, "what are they?"

Finn bit his lip, knowing he'd look stupid saying this. "I have a friend here who talked to you once, but he said that all you would talk about was Pandora's Box, and something about a drifting teacher being responsible for everything? What did you mean by that?"

Something clamored from within the tiny cell as the short prisoner pressed closer to the door that separated them. "That teacher put us all in this place," he muttered vehemently, "I thought she was cool when she taught at our school, but once she left bad things started happening with the kids who were close to her…I thought it was a coincidence until I saw my best friend slice his wrists and say it's what she would have wanted."

Slice his wrists? Finn couldn't stop from making a face.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled. Alan snorted darkly. "But…this teacher…you said she's responsible? How?"

Alan mumbled something Finn couldn't catch before speaking up. "She's smarter than you think…knows everything…the way she talked, you'd think she were enlightened by something…it's just…" he fell silent for a long while, and fearing his time would be up soon Finn was about to ask him to elaborate until Alan spoke up once more. "Mansfield…Akron…Youngstown…Pittsburgh…Harrisburg…"

"What?" Finn asked blankly.

"She kept…I don't know…never mind."

Finn clenched his jaw in frustration, getting straightforward answers from patients was like trying to squeeze through two buildings with only a five inch gap. He was losing time.

And there was still something bothering him.

"You said I can hop through dreams," he muttered to himself, "did you have a dream about me talking to you in the rec room? You mentioned Pandora's Box there too."

A nerve wracking moment of silence and then a tiny, "Yes. I did."

Behind his blindfold, Finn's eyes widened a fraction. Coincidence, it was just coincidence.

"You saved my life," Alan said softly, as if just now recalling the faint traces of a long forgotten memory, "all you did was talk to me in that dream, but you saved me…how did you do that?"

"I – I don't know," Finn stammered, nearly jumping a foot in the air when the lizard-like hand was grabbing his arm again, "wait – I had a dream of a girl who died, she said I needed to help you guys – "

"Suzy Pepper!"

Finn faltered, momentarily letting the guard drag him away from the cell. "You knew her!?"

But Alan ignored the question, instead yelling out from behind the small bars of his door as Finn was pulled farther away.

"Babylon! You have to go to Babylon!"

…

When Kurt found him, he lost all feeling to his legs.

It was the first bathroom he looked in after several failed guesses at random classrooms. He wasn't sure what he would find. After watching Blaine slowly unravel throughout the day, he was ready to see him huddled in a corner with no explanation to why he lost it.

He didn't expect this.

Oh hell, he didn't expect this.

The door wasn't locked, and in the back of his head, Kurt was furious that no one had found the place before him. He opened it thinking he'd see an empty bathroom with its spotless tiled floor, glistening porcelain sinks, and well tended toiletries.

He only had the door ajar, but all he saw was red.

There was the audible stench of drying blood wafting into his senses, eliminating any hopeful assumptions that the red staining the walls and floors was paint. He didn't want to open the door any further, sure that what he would see was something much more horrific than the sight of blood. He was almost to the point of fainting as his traitor of a hand pushed the door open more.

From the far left he could see all of the mirrors shattered. Broken pieces littering the once pristine sinks and floor. That area was for the most part unstained, but Kurt couldn't stop the feeling of nausea climbing up his throat.

Slowly, fearfully, he skimmed the gory bathroom, his vision distorting in tears when he spotted someone familiar sitting against the wall on the far right of the room.

He was staring into space with glazed eyes. His normally unkempt uniform a mess of bits of glass and rips. His jacket was absent, and his sleeves were rolled up, revealing fresh cuts done by the large piece of glass he was loosely holding and lazily dragging across his arm. He was still alive.

This could not be happening.

Kurt fell on his knees, hands coming up to his mouth as tears spilled freely. A strange noise was gurgling at his throat, gradually growing louder in his shock. This couldn't be happening. Not to him. Not to Blaine. He was fine a few hours ago. This wasn't possible! The only person he could talk to and now! Now!

He screamed.


	9. The Pineapple of Hospitality

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Apate targets the Clown. Kurt gives Finn a Christmas gift.

…

Chapter Nine

The Pineapple of Hospitality

…

It was getting easier for Finn to leave his room now that Sam was with him. Instead of monstrous guards being his eyes, he had the blond, who was glad for the company as well. The pair had made most of their time talking to patients in the rec room, though this was proving fruitless since everyone was speaking in riddles. The more they went to the rec room, the more it was becoming a place for relaxation and company than investigation.

Right now they were sitting with Susan and Olivia Vine in a little section where the television was at. From what Finn could understand, they were cheerful fifteen year old twins who came to Apate for trying to pull a double suicide by jumping off the window at a four story height. They claimed to have changed their minds when a dead girl with glasses suddenly appeared and stopped them.

"Suzy Pepper?" Finn hazarded.

"Yep, that's the one," Olivia nodded happily.

He was about to continue questioning her when the dull news channel suddenly tuned into an urgent report. He didn't think much of it until the woman said, "…Was found in the second floor bathroom attempting suicide with pieces of a broken mirror…"

Finn turned towards the television and listened furiously, emitting sounds of confusion from his companions. "Turn it up."

Eyeing him strangely, Sam grabbed the remote and hit the volume button. "What is it?"

He nervously clenched his fists, the dream from the other night resurfacing. "Are they talking about Dalton?"

He didn't need an answer, the reporter's next words were, "The victim was found by his close friend Kurt Hummel, who immediately called for help…"

"Kurt?" Sam and Finn said in alarm.

Then that only meant…

"…Investigators are saying that Mr. Anderson is another one of unfortunate, but lucky few survivors in the epidemic of teen suicides occurring this past month…"

As the report continued, with what Finn could imagine brief video shots of the scene of the crime, or rather attemtpted suicide, Suzy's Pepper's words rang clear in his ears.

_"Help us."_

…

It was getting harder to kill his victims, and it wasn't any form of guilt on his alter ego's part. Finn was learning. He was glad. At least now the growing list of suicides would shorten. Now if only the clown would listen.

Finn may have been growing aware of his own ability to help the victims, but it wasn't enough to completely stop him from killing. Right now he was tenderly holding a weak girl on his lap, stroking her blood caked hair lovingly as she slowly bled to death from the many stab wounds he'd given her. He had no doubt in his mind that in reality she was somewhere in her home slicing herself up with a kitchen knife.

There was a mixture of relish and nausea at the thought of this.

"P-please…" the girl begged breathlessly, fresh tears sliding over dry tracks, "don't…don't do this…"

He smiled gently at her, unsurprised that she still had the energy to talk after losing so much blood. He lightly dragged the tip of his knife down her heaving chest, further tearing the clothes he'd rendered into rags.

"I really hate you people," he whispered over her lips, boring his gaze into her glazed blue eyes. "You're so perfect and beautiful, multi-talented – I bet everyone's told you you have a bright future ahead of you," he let out a tiny giggle before sneering, "I have none of that…but it's fine…I can do whatever I want here, this is my bright future…" the knife inched between trembling legs, pushing them apart as he moved against her inner thighs.

"No…no don't…" she shook her head in a lull, panic in her eyes.

He leaned down and whispered in her ear, "I'm going to tear you apart from the inside."

The clown shoved his knife forward, penetrating the screaming girl, feeling her tender insides break away at his vicious invasion.

…

"No…!" he turned sharply in his bed, throwing out a fist which hit the wall with a loud thud. Breathing quickly, he slumped back in his bed for a few minutes to get his bearings.

A dream. It was only a dream.

His face scrunched in despair, the girl's bloody image burnt in his head.

This wasn't a dream. It was real. Or it would be real later today when her body would show up on the news.

He buried his face in his hands, sobs wracking his shoulders. Another one. He killed another one. When was he going to stop?

He looked up at the half empty cup of sludge sitting at the bedside table. It was supposedly a sure fire concoction that would let him go through a dreamless night of sleep. Glaring at it, he angry threw his arm across it, sending it flying across the room to shatter against the wall, staining it in a nasty army green.

Nothing worked. He was still killing innocent people.

"Oh god," he sobbed, digging the side of his face into his pillow. He felt sick.

They were getting worse. The killings were the same, but the more frequently they came…

The more appealing they seemed.

It sickened him. Traces of dark pleasure still fluttering in his head. A month ago he could easily tell the difference between himself and the clown, but now it was harder to tell who was who. The clown's evil intent was slowly merging with him.

Unless he found help, he knew in his heart that one day he would really kill someone in reality.

But then he'd already killed vast numbers in dreams, what difference was it if he did it in real life?

Growling in frustration, he curled up in his bed, clutching his hair.

No. He couldn't give in so easily. He wasn't a killer. He wasn't the black and white clown.

He was –

The door slammed open, his mother bursting in with a look of worry as she hastily pulled her robe around her. "Is everything all right?" she asked, "I heard a…" she spotted the little pile of glass of what was once a perfectly good cup, she looked to her son in apprehension, "what happened?"

"Nothing," he said stiffly, wiping his face, "I just had a nightmare."

His mother leaned closer to the stain on the wall, dragging her finger over it and eyeing it with narrowed eyes, "what is this…?" she tasted it and quickly spat it out in disgust, "ugh! Is that garlic and grass! Don't tell me you drank this!"

As a response, her son leaned over his bed and retched violently.

…

He felt like he was in a dream. It didn't help that with each visit he made his stepbrother was becoming more and more demanding. Last time he insisted in holding hands throughout the entire visit. This time…

He wanted to hold him for however long he stayed.

Kurt couldn't help the blush from staining his pale cheeks. Holding him was one thing, but to do it while they lay in his bed was something else entirely. Not for the first time since his arrival did Kurt thank his lucky stars that Rachel hadn't accompanied him this time or she'd flip.

As nice as it was, though, he couldn't dawdle in his luck with everything that happened lately.

His thoughts drifted back to Blaine. Help arrived in time to sustain him, but it would be a while before he'd be released from the hospital. He still hadn't woken up from his coma. Kurt still couldn't believe Blaine had gone so far as to cut himself up. Up until that moment he seemed so cheerful, always giving him advice and offering a smile. Kurt looked up to him; he was like a beacon in the mess of family drama thrown upon him. Blaine wasn't going through what he was facing, how could he suddenly break like that?

Kurt blinked quickly to will away his tears. He wasn't going to start crying now in front of Finn. His time here, however small, was for him.

…But it still hurt. Not only was Blaine stuck in a coma and far away from him. But right after he'd wake up he would be sent straight to Apate. His parents already signed the necessary papers.

Kurt unconsciously pressed closer to Finn for comfort. Blaine was gone, and Mercedes would be too if they didn't get her help soon. He was alone. Not even Carole and Burt could comfort him. How could they? They still thought Finn was some kid who moved away.

He shut his eyes, breathing in his stepbrother's familiar warmth and musk. He dreamt of this for so long, and now that he finally had it, he wasn't able to fully enjoy it. Finn was only holding him like this for his own sanity after all. He was just an aid to help with his vision. Digging up old feelings would only hurt him.

He had to distract himself.

"Pandora's Box," Kurt said thoughtfully into Finn's chest. "is that a metaphor or is it real?"

The taller teen shrugged. "He kept mentioning it, so I thought it was important. I still haven't figured out anything about this place…Sam's tried sneaking into the files, but the doors are always locked, and talking to patients is a pain."

"We have something," Kurt reminded him, "a drifting teacher. If I'm getting this right, this teacher's gone through several schools and infected anyone who's been attached to her."

Finn frowned. "But the only teacher I've been friendly with is Mr. Schue, and he's taught at our school for a while…"

"Did you get any new teachers?"

"After you left, no…there's Beiste but…" Finn felt guilty at the idea that his football coach would do something crazy like infect students, "It can't be her, she's not that evil."

"But she is a suspect," Kurt reasoned, "Rachel and I will talk to her, just ask what places she's taught at and if it's none of the schools the victims were in she's in the clear."

"It can't be her," Finn muttered more to himself. Kurt was about to say something reassuring but the boy changed the subject. "How's mom?" Kurt fell silent. "I-I mean in general. I know she still doesn't remember me…"

Kurt's eyes softened sadly. "She's fine. She's eating properly now, and she's taken up meditation with me."

"What's she making for dinner tonight?"

Kurt bit his lip. Tonight was Christmas Eve. "Finn…"

"I just wanna know…she's making a pot roast, isn't she?"

The smaller teen nodded quietly, not realizing that his fingers were making soothing little circles against Finn's back. Were it any other situation, he was sure they'd be exchanging amusing predictions over how their first Christmas together would go. It hurt. "It's not right…you need to be with us."

"I'd escape, but they'd put me in solitary," Finn laughed humorlessly before finally breaking down; "this is so unfair man!"

Sniffling, Kurt held him tightly, not minding in the least that Finn was ruining his Marc Jacobs jacket with tears and snot.

…

Despite the sudden increase in security due to the swarm of suicide victims, the hospital was pretty lax in the taking identification seriously. She didn't even attempt to make her lie convincing and they let her in without a second thought.

Then again, she looked to the young man walking beside her, it was probably all due to him. He'd done quick work in finding all the victims and taking them to his institution. Here would be no different.

"What has he done again?" she asked curiously as they walked down the halls stinking with sanitation. "This wasn't a suicide or you wouldn't have called me."

Laurence Niac gave his superior a secretive smirk, "he got sick off a drink he made that would supposedly remove his nightmares."

She raised her eyebrows in both amusement and disbelief. "That's it?" she paused thoughtfully, "what were the nightmares?"

They stopped in front of room 104. Laurence's smirk widened. "Murders," he answered simply, opening the door.

The woman barely held down her excitement as they entered the room. Aside from the victim lying asleep in his bed, there was a middle aged woman sitting quietly beside him. Upon their entrance, she looked up, her eyes tired, but not devastated. She probably had no idea what was really going on.

"Sorry to intrude," Laurence said smoothly. "I'm – "

"I know who you are," she cut in sharply, "you're not taking my son – he hasn't done anything wrong."

"I'm not saying he did," Laurence said, not taken aback at all. "But reports of his behavior have proven that he needs professional help."

The mother shook her head, looking between him and the woman accompanying him, "it's just a stomach bug, he's not some basket case to be taken from me."

The silent woman chose that moment to speak, "we have reason to believe that he's connected to the deaths of the suicide epidemic."

" _What?_ " the mother stood tall, infuriated, "are you saying my son _killed_ those kids?"

"He's had some sort of connection to them whether by friendship or acquaintance – "

"He's not a murderer!"

Laurence cut in before the mother would scream any louder. "It won't be for long, we have the best doctors at our disposal and treatment has proven positive," he looked at her warmly, "I'm sure you want him to get better – and we can help him. But he must be institutionalized…would you want him drinking any more grass sludge?"

The mother stammered worriedly, looking down at her sleeping boy. Laurence's words were hitting home. Her son had been acting odd recently, he never talked, he was pale, he seemed to get sick more often…

But he was her baby. She couldn't send him off to a strange place. Tonight was Christmas Eve, she needed him home…

As she continued looking over the boy sleeping soundly in his bed, she began to recognize him less and less. She bit her lip in frustration. No, this was her son, he was a little sick and they would be going home for a light dinner and then open their presents the next day….

Her fingers ran through his soft hair. Who was it that he got his hair from? He'd only been asleep for a few hours, but she couldn't picture the color of his eyes.

His bubbling laughter was now merely an echo in the back of her head.

Laurence tried again. "This is not your son, he belongs in Apate."

…

Visiting hours were over. Finn was impressed over how Kurt sweet talked the guards into letting him stay for two hours. Before the max would be twenty minutes. He was happy to have him longer, even if the only thing they did was lie in bed in each others arms.

Finn smiled slightly at the ceiling. It was funny how things changed in his life. A month ago he would have been uncomfortable if Kurt was close enough to touch his shoulder. Now it was the only thing that kept him from falling completely over the edge.

He turned to his side and looked at the clock. Eleven fifty-five, in a few minutes it would be Christmas Eve. He could imagine how things were going back home. Or at least how they could have gone if he wasn't locked up in a nut house.

Finn sighed quietly, looking down at the little red gift box Kurt had given him.

_"This is just a small preview until you come back home for the real gift,"_ he told him just before leaving, _"don't open it until twelve or you're not getting it."_

The curiosity had been swelling inside him the second Kurt left. He was itching to open it, but he wanted to keep his promise and wait until midnight. The little kid in him wanted to keep to the Christmas tradition too, fearing that bad luck would come to him if he opened the presents even a minute early.

At least that's what his mother always told him.

His tiny smile fell. His mother. It felt like years since he'd seen her. He missed her so much.

'I have to get better,' he thought to himself firmly, 'the faster I'm better, the faster I can go home.'

He looked back at his tiny gift in his hand. He never realized how one little box could hold so much warmth in his heart, especially on a night where he was used to getting more than one gift.

The red box contrasted sharply in the darkness of the room, getting a glow of its own from the moonlight that crept in from him his window. It kind of reminded him of Rachel.

She hadn't seen him today. As much as he loved her, it was getting harder to miss her. With Kurt visiting him so much, he was starting to forget her. It made him feel guilty, she was trying to get him out of Apate too, but he barely ever spared a thought to her.

He looked at the clock again. It was midnight.

Sitting up, Finn opened the lid of the box and lifted the tissue paper hiding the gift itself.

It was a flat silver pineapple with a ruby red ribbon at the top, glistening in the moonlight. The Hummel ornament.

Finn took it in his hand wonderingly, surprised at how heavy the tiny thing was. He turned it over where there was a written inscription.

_Warmth, Love, and Hospitality_

It was tiny, and pretty useless unless it were to be put on a tree, but it held more meaning to Finn than any other gift he ever got. He ran his fingers over the bumpy surfaces of the pineapple, his vision blurring with unshed tears of joy and sadness. Kurt gave him his family's ornament – _him!_

A choked sound escaped him between a laugh and a sob. Trust Kurt to somehow manage to sneak a piece of silver through security. He made a silent promise to keep it safely hidden from nurses and guards. This gift was too important. It was like a sign.

He dreamt of this ornament.

He had to go home. And if Apate wasn't letting him go, he was going to break out himself.


	10. Don't Wake Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rachel and Kurt play detective. Finn gets worse, and Apate continues to collect kids.

…

Chapter Ten

Don't Wake Up

…

They were driving down the highway with the sun burning in their faces. He pulled the blind flap down and settled in his seat, for once completely relaxed and silently praying the drive would last forever. It had been a while since he could finally relax.

He looked to the driver with a smile. He seemed to be just as serene as him. Finn couldn't blame him. They had just saved a life, an accomplishment like that would brighten anyone's day.

"Where to?" Kurt asked calmly, casting a quick glance to him.

"Youngstown, I think," Finn answered after thinking hard for a minute.

His stepbrother nodded, turning on the radio to a station dedicated to chill music. Finn was surprised, he expected him to tune into a popular station that overplayed songs with repetitive lyrics.

They drove on in pleasant silence for a few more miles until Kurt was forced to slow to a stop behind the mob of traffic piled up before them. It didn't damper their moods though. They weren't in any particular hurry, especially since they had no idea what would lie at the end of their journey.

Kurt chose that moment to say something random. "This is kind of nice for an out of the blue cross country trip."

Finn raised an eyebrow at the smaller teen, "yeah except this isn't a trip."

Kurt rolled his eyes. "You know what I mean," he turned to him with a warm smile, "it's doing you good, I can see you're old self coming back."

"I could go play football and make you fall in love with me again if that's what you want,"Finn teased. Kurt shot him a scandalized look ruined by the glimmer of amusement in his eyes.

"You are impossible," he scoffed dramatically, "as if I'd make the same mistake again."

"Oh come on, you can't resist my charms," Finn leaned over the driver with a devious grin. The shorter teen shrank in his seat with a small laugh before their lips were pressed together in a slow kiss.

…

When Finn woke up, it was with a frown. The dream felt too real and too weird to be normal. Instead of melting away as soon as he awoke, it remained in his head. He couldn't understand what kind of meaning it held other than it was probably important.

But why would he kiss Kurt? They were brothers. And he wasn't gay.

He sat up tiredly and looked around his empty room blearily. The sun had brightened up everything to near blinding point. It was probably the reason to his waking up. With a sigh, he stared at his hands on his lap for a good few minutes as he waited for his body to wake up with the rest of him.

He was getting tired often lately. There was barely any energy left in him to get out of bed these past few days. Finn blamed it on the medicine the nurses kept throwing at him.

His lip curled in disgust at how bony his hands had become. His arms were thinner too, no longer holding the muscular power of his old self. Kurt had told him several times that he was losing a lot of weight, but he never realized how bad it was until now.

Again, he blamed it on the medicine. Pretty soon he was going to shrivel up and disappear. He wouldn't be surprised if Sam would follow soon after, he didn't seem his usual fit self either.

Someone giggled.

Finn looked up and spotted a familiar blonde girl standing by the door. His hair stood on end. "You…" he whispered fearfully.

Alice giggled even more and ran straight towards the nearest wall at break neck speed, phasing through it like a ghost with a resounding bang. Finn jolted and tried to settle his nerves. Unfortunately there was no time for that. There was a strange rumbling echoing throughout the room, and it was coming from the ceiling.

Finn slowly looked up. The walls were tilting in, slowly at first, and then picking up speed as they caved further inwards, threatening to crush him.

Screaming at the top of his lungs, Finn fell off his bed and threw an arm protectively over his head, wind gusting over him as the walls came ever closer to hitting the ground.

Nothing happened though.

Hesitantly, Finn peered an eye open. The room was back to normal, the walls had never moved.

Breathing heavily, his heart pounding in his throat, Finn lay on the floor, trying to get his bearings.

What was that?

…

Interrogating, Kurt thought guiltily to himself, was not his thing. The fact that it was Christmas Day and he and Rachel had interrupted a festive meal didn't sit well with his stomach either, especially with their suspect all dolled up in a cheerful red and white jumper with reindeer and snowflakes, and a Santa Claus hat.

Coach Beiste was sitting in the living room with them, a cross between hurt and anger written over her face. In the background in the little dining room table were her friends enjoying a hefty dinner. Despite his guilt, Kurt's gut twisted in jealousy over their happiness on a holiday that he should have been celebrating with his family. _With Finn_.

"And you think I'm responsible for those kids," the burly woman asked quietly.

Rachel quickly shook her head, "no, we're only asking because you're a new teacher and Kurt said that the killer is a teacher who's been going through schools."

"You're not the only one being asked," Kurt added, "we've got other teachers we'll be asking." Beiste still looked upset, "I'm only doing this because I want Finn home, he's miserable in Apate."

The woman nodded, pursing her lips thoughtfully. "I know. I've heard a lot about that place lately, it's supposed to be the best institution for troubled teens to go," she sighed, rubbing her hands on her knees, "I've taught at about three other schools, but does that matter? Even if it's a teacher, he or she could be going around off the job…" she paused thoughtfully, "and why a teacher? Where'd you get that kind of information?"

At this, the two teens looked at each other uncertainly. "We have our…sources," Kurt said lamely. Beiste gave him a withering look, "okay, it was Finn, but I believe him, I mean, it's a lead, right?"

"How did Finn find _that_ out?" she asked bemusedly. Again, Kurt and Rachel looked uncertain. "Guys," she shook her head, leaning forward to rest her elbows on her knees. "I know it's hard to have a close friend suffer in a dark place by himself, it's not easy," she started gently, "and I don't want to sound harsh, but Finn's got a _mental illness_ you can't be sure that everything he says is one hundred percent accurate. He's not himself right now, you have to understand that." Kurt looked away, biting the corner of his lip and blinking furiously against forming tears. She was saying all the things he didn't want to hear, but it were true. He knew he shouldn't be taking Finn's words to heart. But he wanted to believe him so badly. Something inside him told him to trust his stepbrother, even if he was a raving lunatic. "Have you asked any other teachers?"

"No," Rachel said shortly, shaking her head. "I was thinking of talking to Ms. Holiday before you since she's a sub, but I couldn't find her, I think she's gone out of state for the vacation."

"A lot of teachers have," Beiste shrugged. Both teens nodded, shoulders slumped in defeat. The coach sighed, rubbing the back of her neck. She hadn't meant to knock down their hopes this much. "Listen, if you really believe this teacher theory report it to the police. With everything that's going on it's too dangerous for you guys to play detective," she shook her head grimly, "we've lost enough already."

Nodding, they stood up and made to leave with apologies for interrupting and an unenthusiastic 'Merry Christmas.' By the time they got into Kurt's car, all the energy they had started with was sapped out of them.

"Square one again," Rachel muttered, resting her head on the back of her seat, staring out towards the street ahead that was packed with parked cars and light snow.

"She's right though," Kurt started the the ignition and quickly turned on the heat. "How am I ever going to get Finn out of that place?" he ran a hand through his hair, not caring that he was messing it up. "He's not happy there, Rachel, I've seen him, he's not getting better, he's getting worse!"

"I know," Rachel rubbed the bridge of her nose. "But what can we do? We might as well report it to the police like Beiste said," she thumped the armrest of her seat in frustration, "what did Mr. Schue say about the case?"

Kurt snorted bitterly, unwillingly brought back to the phone call he got last night from the Spanish teacher. "No proof, no case," he shook his head, "and they told him that Apate was the only institution that could help the victims, there's no way they're shutting them down." He turned to Rachel, who was looking at him disbelievingly, "that's what they told him, the only thing they didn't do was kick him in the rear out the door."

"But that's…" she clenched her fists in ill contained rage, "locking Finn up isn't going to help him!"

"You know what's worse?" he smiled sullenly, "they didn't bat an eye when he told them Carole lost all memory of Finn." He pulled out of his parking spot, and drove down the street, which was cheerfully and mockingly covered in Christmas lights, inflatable Santa's, and mechanical reindeers, "no one's helping us. We're alone."

…

His head felt fuzzy. He wasn't sure what happened, or how he ended up unconscious, but the one thing he could feel was dullness everywhere. His arms were dead weight by his sides, he could barely twitch his fingers, and the more he became alert, the more alarming this inability to move grew. He scrunched his shut eyes, somewhat helping to clear the fogginess in his head.

There were bandages all over him, he could feel them tugging against his skin as he tried to move. What followed this brief moment of awakening was the stench of sanitary cleanliness that could only be associated with hospitals. It was cold.

"That's it, wake up," an unfamiliar voice encouraged warmly, her soft voice reaching his ears like the touch of an angel. He peeked his eyes open a fraction, blinding light swarming in his unprepared vision. "Morning sunshine."

His vision adjusted somewhat. The woman talking to him was standing in front of the sunlit window, her face cast in shadow. She was a little short and dressed in a white doctor's coat and glasses. Glancing around only confirmed to him that he was indeed in the hospital, but for what he couldn't imagine.

"What happened?" his voice could only whisper, too weak from painkillers to speak any louder.

"Do you remember your name?"

He blinked several times caught off guard by the question, and the fact that he was having trouble remembering it amongst the stuffiness in his brain. His name…what was his name? It was on the tip of his tongue, started with a... "…B-Blaine – "

"No, that's not your name," she placed an icy hand over his bandaged arm. "You don't have a name," she smiled. The patient couldn't muster up the energy to argue. She was so heavenly and sweet, that he _couldn't_ argue. Maybe she was right. "You have a unique gift, and I want to help you take control of it," she squeezed his arm gently; he felt like putty in her hands, "I'd like to take you with me to Babylon."

…

After going through an intense verbal battle with security and several nurses, Kurt and Rachel were given permission to visit Finn in his room. It was unusual for Apate to be so stubborn, and it only served to make Kurt fear the worst. Something must have happened to Finn for them to try to block him from visitors. One look at Rachel and he knew she suspected the same thing.

"He's probably asleep by now, the nurses had to give him a sedative," the guard escorting them said when they stopped in front of Finn's door.

"What?" Kurt said sharply. Before the guard could say anymore, he swung open the door so fiercely that it banged loudly against the wall. Two nurses huddled by the desk up ahead turned to him in alarm. "Finn!" he rushed in to where the tall teen was curled up under the desk, rocking back and forth with his eyes tightly shut. "Finn, it's me, it's Kurt," he reached out to grab his shoulder.

"Kurt," Finn lunged at the smaller teen, pulling him into a tight hug that threatened to suffocate him. He was trembling terribly, mumbling something the startled boy couldn't understand.

"It's all right, we're here," Rachel knelt beside them, cautious of not touching her boyfriend. "What happened?" she glared at the nurses, both who gave her scathing looks.

"We were going to calm him down when you two barged in," one of them said, turning her pointed nose up at them self righteously, "everything was under control."

"You're no longer allowed in the patient's room, visiting hours are only in the visiting room," the second nurse said pointedly.

"We got special permission," Kurt countered, running a hand soothingly up and down Finn's back, "and as you can see, he's calmed down, there's no need for a sedative." And it was true, although he was still shaking; Finn had relaxed visibly, loosening his hold on Kurt somewhat. The nurses weren't pleased with this, and their stay was quickly becoming unwanted. "Can we please have a few moments alone, I do have rights to my time with him."

Scowling, both women stood and wordlessly left the room. Kurt tried not to act to surprised, he'd been prepared for fight.

"Finn, is it okay now?" Rachel asked gently, still not getting any closer to the troubled teen, "can you see normally now?"

Hesitantly, Finn opened his eyes and saw with relief that everything was as it should be. He slumped into Kurt's arms, resting his head on his shoulder. After the scare from earlier he was exhausted from being tense for so long.

"Are the visions getting stronger?" Kurt asked worriedly, "you haven't reacted like this in a while, did you lose the blindfold?"

Finn shook his head miserably, "I-I couldn't find it," he said quietly, "it's always been monsters that I see…but this time the whole room changed," his face contorted in an effort to keep from crying. Rachel crawled closer and held him from the other side, "there were faces and…and hands all over the walls trying to grab me. I didn't know what else to do – it was like something from the other side was trying to kill me," he was holding Kurt tightly again, desperate for comfort, "I…I can't do this anymore, they're getting worse."

"Don't say that, you can beat this, Finn," Rachel said tightly, "we'll find a way to get you out of here and get you real help, Mercedes is already seeing less of the clown now and she's been going through the same thing you are, just hold on a little longer."

Finn shook his head, "She keeps telling me I need to help them, but I don't know what to do…I can't…"

"Who?" Kurt frowned.

"Suzy Pepper."

Rachel and Kurt exchanged startled looks. Suzy Pepper was dead. She'd _been_ dead for almost a month now. Kurt swallowed thickly. This was what Beiste warned them about. Were they wrong all along? Was Finn more gone than they'd hoped? Talking about a dead girl as if she were alive was certainly a sign.

Kurt held Finn tightly, feeling that if he didn't, the other boy would disappear. Maybe it was true. Maybe…He shut his eyes grimly. Maybe Apate was the right place for Finn to be after all.

…

Her collection was far from complete. Laurence knew this as he quietly watched his boss flip through the endless papers he'd given her. Profiles of patients he'd recently gotten from Apate. They were on their way to the airport, and though he was comfortable with working around patients and bringing them into his institution, there was something unbearably suffocating about being in such closed quarters with a woman powerful enough to cease his existence, and two boys with the potential to tear him limb from limb without touching him. He wasn't at all surprised at their subdued faces. They were under her control now.

Unconsciously, he shrank more into himself as if that would make him safer. The limousine was nice; it had leather seats, a small bar, a TV, wi-fi, the works. It was a nice change to his usual austere black car, and welcome. The company wasn't. He had good reason to fear his boss.

"You've got a demon in Apate," she said, eyeing a profile with an impressed grin.

"Would you like him?" Laurence asked, part of him hoping the answer was no. She had enough power already.

She hummed thoughtfully, tapping her finger against the photograph. "He's interesting, but he's not the anomaly I'm looking for." She looked over the top of the papers to peer at her assistant. "You still haven't found him, have you?"

"His ability has made it hard for us to pinpoint him," Laurence admitted regretfully, "for all we know he could be in Apate already, just under the disguise of another ability."

His boss hummed again, looking back at the profile she was still mulling over. To Laurence's disappointment, she turned to her reflection on the window.

A little blonde girl in a summer blue dress looked back at her with an innocent smile.

"Alice," the drifting teacher said, "go."

Nodding, Alice vanished from the window.

…

They weren't allowed to stay longer like they had yesterday. With just barely getting permission to see him in his room, Kurt and Rachel were only given about ten minutes before they were kicked out. Ten minutes wasn't enough time for them to settle down and talk, just the first five alone were occupied in calming him down from his hallucinating episode.

His mother was doing well, Kurt told him. She made the pot roast, gingerbread cookies, a Yule log cake, kissed Burt under the mistletoe. Then after the festivities reached their end, they couldn't wait until the next day and spent the night opening presents.

Without him.

Kurt said he hadn't opened his, and wouldn't until Finn would come home, but it still hurt. This was the first Christmas, the most important one, that Finn was missing and only Kurt seemed to care.

He held the silver pineapple ornament up in the moonlight, running a thumb over the words in the back. Christmas may have been over, but when he'd get home, he was going to put the ornament on the tree, then they would all have a proper Christmas, no matter how late they were. They'd have it in May if it came to that.

Finn smiled slightly at that, imagining himself donning a Santa hat in sunny May complete with the cheesy red hand knit sweater with the white snowflakes, sipping eggnog in a living room filled with the humid air of early summer. He could only dream.

It was attainable…right? He wouldn't be stuck here for the rest of his life, that'd be too cruel. There was still so much to do. He had to beat the championships with his football team, go on a proper date with Rachel, bug the hell out of Kurt in typical brotherly fashion, win regionals…

Go to college…

Get a home…

Build a family…

Those were words Kurt said to him just before leaving.

"You can beat this, just hold on a little longer," he told him, giving him a final hug.

Staring at the ornament, glimmering in the moonlight, only made him yearn more for home, and feel a sense of security at the thought of his stepbrother. He wondered if this was what all brothers felt of each other. It was still a little weird to think of Kurt as a brother when just a while ago he was just another member of glee club and the son of the man his mother was dating. He used to be pissed that Kurt had set them up to get closer to him, but now he couldn't find anything to complain about. If Kurt never got the family together, he wouldn't be visiting him almost every day like this. Or give him the ornament as a present.

His mother would still be lonely. And he would be left to suffer the hallucinations by himself. With no one to lean on.

Man. On the long run, Kurt really was an awesome person.

Finn's thoughts were broken at the sound of alarms blaring throughout the halls outside, followed by the stampede of security guards and nurses rushed about. Baffled, Finn slipped out of bed and looked through the little window on the door.

It was a mass of chaos. Red lights were flashing, guards had their flashlights out, and nurses were scrambling through room after room of patients, a look of panic on their faces. Finn had only observed this for a few seconds before his door opened nearly sending him to the floor.

A nurse's head poked through the door. "Mr. Hudson please go back to bed, there's nothing to worry about."

"What's going on?" he asked, looking over her head to the continuing mayhem in the hall.

The nurse pursed her lips. She was so distracted that it didn't take long for her to decide to tell him exactly what was happening. "A patient is missing," she replied grudgingly, "It's you're friend, Sam Evans. If you find him, please report to us." And after peering around his room with hawk eyes, she left with the slam of the door. Through the haze of yelling and ringing, Finn could hear the clicking of his door being locked.

He stood there, shaken. Sam was gone? He escaped? What was going on?

"Finn."

He whipped around. Suzy greeted him with a small wave and tiny smile. She walked to the wall, the spot Alice had disappeared through earlier. Finn watched, his heart in his throat as the dead girl placed her palm on the wall, then turned back to him with her hand stretched out for him. The ornament in his hand threatened to break through his skin in his tight grip. His head was a buzz of white noise and the growing anticipation that maybe….maybe this was it.

Suzy's smile widened.

"Don't wake up."


	11. Escape

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Breaking out of Apate is like walking through hell on Earth.

…

Chapter Eleven

Escape

…

She may have been dead, and a figment of his imagination, but when Suzy held her cold gray hand out for him, he didn't have to think twice. He took it.

"If you wake up," she said over the muffled shouts of nurses and incessant blaring of the alarms, her cold breath ghosting over his skin unpleasantly. Finn shivered, "it's all over."

Nodding, Finn let himself get pulled closer to the dead girl, and through the white wall of his prison as if he were a ghost. He thought nothing of it. He had a feeling he shouldn't; everything would be all right in the end.

The room they walked into, which was depressingly the same as Finn's, belonged to a young red haired boy a little younger than Finn. He would be seen wandering aimlessly around the corners of the rec room, and he never did anything to bring attention to himself. Had they been in school, he would easily be labeled a loner, probably with a hobby of writing poetry in flimsy black notepads. At least that's what Finn pictured him as; he never talked to him to find out. Now the boy was standing by the wall they walked through, blue eyes looking at them expectantly.

It was then that Finn realized something. It had been several hours since Kurt's visit, long enough for the effects of his touch to wear off. Yet, he hadn't seen a single monster all evening.

"I'm dreaming?" he turned to Suzy in awe. Even in dreams he had seen monsters. What was even more bizarre was how aware he was that he was dreaming, and how very real everything felt.

Suzy's blue lips pulled back into a smile. "We have to hurry, I can't hold back your consciousness for long."

"Wait, but – " the quiet boy grabbed Finn's arm and pulled him to the other side of the room. He stretched his pale hand against the wall, and it glowed for a brief second, sinking into the wall in crooked gnarly lines.

"There's no time," he said, voice laced with a calm wisdom that made Finn pause. Giving Suzy a knowing look, he pushed Finn through the wall, his power helping him phase through it like before. "My sister's in Youngstown," he called from the other side, "you'll need her help."

Before Finn could question him further, Suzy dragged him away from the wall and down the empty hall still flashing with red lights. Finn whipped his head around in confusion. He didn't recognize this place, not in the few times he didn't wear his blindfold at least.

"They can't see me, but they can see you," the dead girl said briefly, dragging him toward the stairway that led to the basement.

"Where are we going?" he stumbled to keep up with her, wary of any stray guards catching them. The stairway was dead quiet and dark save for his own feet hitting the steps like thunder. Suzy, he noted, didn't make a sound.

Not answering his question, Suzy stopped in front of the door that led out into the hallway, pushing Finn against the wall while peering out the small window at the door. Under the red lights Finn noted a light sheen of sweat glistening on her gray forehead, lines of strain pulling at her face. He'd never seen her like this before, it was almost as if she were alive. He was about to say so had she not opened the door and continued down the hall, her grip on his arm becoming painful.

The basement was a mirror of the floor above except the majority of it was made of steel and cement, nothing was painted over. Finn felt like he were in a modern day dungeon. He'd heard of this place, but never got the nerve to explore it. He wouldn't have been able to anyway. The basement was a restricted area open only to doctors and a select few security guards that would probably be more than glad to snap a patient's neck if given the chance.

"Why did you take us here?" Finn asked nervously, looking over his shoulder every two seconds as Suzy pulled him past a number of cells, all with their lights ominously turned off. He had a right to fear this floor. There may have been a section upstairs for the real lunatics to go, but the basement was for the more dangerous group, those who've been known to kill without a shred of guilt. There was a passing rumor that Jacob had been put in this floor after being unable to assimilate into the lifestyle upstairs.

Finn stood closer to Suzy, as if she could somehow protect him. The thought of Jacob sent chills down his spine. He had only heard his screams, and seen him once in the rec room to know that the annoying kid he used to know was no longer there. Jacob had changed drastically since his attack at school. He'd become so angry now, and seemed to be under the impression that breaking things brought solution to everything. Finn would never forget the red veins bulging out of the other teens eyes as he terrorized anyone that came near him, nor the careless drool that dripped down his chin.

The tall teen shuddered.

They stopped in front of a steel door at the end of the hall. There was a plaque over the boarded up window, but there were no words engraved in it. Finn eyed it suspiciously. This was like the horror movies. A silent empty hall, with disorienting flashes of red lights, and a door at the end with a foreboding window covered to hide what's inside. Soon, there would be the growing scream of silence that would stand the hair on anyone's skin, and once the door slowly creaks open, out would pop the killer with his manic eyes and shrill giggle, swinging his blood drenched ax down for the finishing blow. Finn had half a mind to run away, but Suzy clutched onto him tighter.

"You remember how Peter got us through the walls?" she asked, her voice strained.

"Peter?" Finn frowned, thinking back to the kid who pressed his hand on the wall and made it glow. "I…think so."

"Good," without warning, Suzy pushed Finn sharply on the back, forcing him to stumble with a yelp right through the door. She followed soon after, ignoring the indignant look he was sending her.

Huffing, Finn looked around the surprisingly large room that spread down farther than he could see, though that was probably due to the room being poorly lit by dangling light bulbs, most of them shattered or burnt out. The place was filled with aisles upon aisles of filing cabinets, as if it were a library, all made of iron that'd been chipped and dented from decades of use. Finn's confusion grew.

"What is this place?" he asked breathlessly, staring up at the towering cabinets that went up so high they disappeared in the darkness.

"This is the original storeroom where all files are kept of past and future victims," Suzy answered, shuffling through a random drawer filled with yellow stained folders. "You'll need these as proof against Apate."

Finn's eyes widened. "But I've tried getting to the files before, the door's always locked – and it wasn't in the basement."

Giving a strained laugh, Suzy pulled out a thick folder marked with splashes of some dried dark substance Finn rather not know of. With trembling hands, she gave it to him. "Apate lives up to its name."

Brows knitted, Finn opened the folder, the first paper holding a school picture of his in the left corner and the rest of the page filled with an unfinished game of tic-tac-toe. "What the hell?" he muttered softly, flipping through the rest of the pages. They were all the same with pictures of his friends. He noted Sam and Mercedes, among the pile, as well as other's he wouldn't have expected.

"Kurt's a victim?" he felt his stomach drop, the photograph of his grinning stepbrother looking up at him like a glare. He remembered this photograph sitting in the living room on one of the small tables by the couch. He would always remember it because it was the first thing he'd see when arriving home from school.

"Everyone's a victim," Suzy replied darkly. Finn shuffled through the rest of the papers and found photographs of practically everyone he knew from school plus more.

Everyone.

He stopped short on Rachel's profile. Through she was giving the camera her biggest toothy smile, posing as if she were Miss Universe, there was a giant X over her picture. There were 'x's over a few pictures, actually, including Suzy's. He pulled his girlfriend's picture up and showed it to the dead girl. "What does this mean?" Though he had a feeling he knew, and it was filling him with dread.

Sweat was starting to drip down the side of her face, but she was still determined. "She's not going to survive," she said quietly, "not if the epidemic isn't stopped…" she doubled over, clutching her head. Startled, Finn hurried to her, grabbing her shoulders to steady her and almost dropping the folder in the process, "I can't hold…anymore…" she looked up to him desperately, gray eyes swirling with hazel like two whirlpools, "I've got you this far…" she swallowed thickly, grabbing onto his arms, "you have to run the rest of the way. Leave Apate – " she whimpered and fell to her knees, "please Finn," she begged, tears sliding down her hollow cheeks, "help us."

"How?" he shouted anxiously.

She doubled over once more, exploding in a mist of ash leaving Finn to clutch at the empty air.

For a brief moment Finn could only hear his startled breath in the eerie silence that followed Suzy's departure. He tried to wrap his brain around what just occurred, but couldn't get past his shock of feeling someone exploding in his arms. It felt like a balloon had popped, but at a more frightening level that had him on his knees. He couldn't find the strength in him to stand up.

"Help us," he mumbled Suzy's words, eyes wide in horror. He tried figuring out what she meant by them since the first time she said it, but he couldn't. How could he help them?

He had to get out of here.

Clutching onto the folder, he crawled to the door and hesitantly opened it.

Cells outside were in ruins. They were much like prison cells with bars, but they were broken down and highly unlikely to keep anyone trapped for long. The tiled floor was cracked and dirty with bodily fluids, the stench of urine in the air. Gulping, Finn forced himself on his feet and tried to map out his surroundings for a safe route.

There was a busted up fire extinguisher sitting on a pile of rubble just four feet away from him. Already several scenes from action and horror movies filled his head. When out of weapons, the hero would go for whatever was handy, and usually that would be a fire extinguisher. Finn grabbed it, feeling slightly comforted that he at least had something to defend himself with. Imagining himself as the hero of some action flick made the situation less grave than it really was.

Taking a deep breath, he looked around the hall once more. No one seemed to be in the basement, or in their cells. Not a very comforting thought.

Stuffing his folder securely in his pants, Finn took a better grip of his weapon–

Strong scaly arms grabbed him from behind, claws scraping against his skin.

Blind with panic, Finn struggled fruitlessly against his captor. Swinging the fire extinguisher behind him, and hitting nothing but air. The creature's hot breath practically dripping like venom against his neck. He could already picture razor sharp teeth sinking into his shoulder and tearing it off like tissue.

It only made him more frantic to break free. He pushed and shoved, jabbing his elbows into the monster's ribs desperately. Dots were starting to swim into his vision. He couldn't breathe.

Then suddenly, there was a loud thunk as the fire extinguisher made contact with the monster's head. As soon as the arms around him loosened, Finn broke for it, running as fast as he could to the door that led upstairs.

Before another scaly demon could catch him, Finn shut the door behind him and bolted up the stairs, not caring for the loud noise he was making. He made it to the first floor into the empty hall scot free, wails of beasts calling up behind him. Not knowing what else to do, he grabbed a chair lying nearby and lodged it under the door handle as a makeshift lock. It wouldn't hold for long.

Gulping in air, cold sweat dotting his face, Finn tried to calm down and take his surroundings. The halls were different from before, all cracked and decrepit like the basement, some lights blinking lazily. No one was around. The alarms had been shut off.

This was his chance.

As quietly as he could, Finn crept down the hall that led to the visiting room. Visiting hours were over, that would mean that there wouldn't be security guards around, and if there were, he dearly hoped they would be asleep. He prayed they'd be asleep.

Which led him to another more alarming thought. The video cameras.

Looking up, he spotted a camera hanging right above his head. He smashed the lens with the fire extinguisher, accidentally using too much force and sending it crashing to the floor. Someone was bound to have heard that. Panic rising again, Finn ran down the hall, keeping an ear out for any sudden sound.

"Larrghargh ackraaah!"

His heart stopped for a second. Pressing himself against the corner of the wall, he waited for the footsteps to fall silent as they went the opposite direction. Finn was so afraid he covered his mouth for fear that his breathing could be heard. Once the hallway fell silent again, he risked a peek around the corner. A fluorescent light bulb was hanging down from the ceiling, and doors were rocking on their last hinges, it looked as though a hurricane hit it. But it was empty, and empty meant safe. Finn continued through the hall, being more careful to break the camera lenses without being seen.

More unrecognizable growls and snarls came his way. Gasp caught in his throat, Finn scurried around for a hiding spot and jumped into the first open door he could find. It was a tiny room filled with old and broken bottles of soap and sanitizer, moldy mops with heads near black in gunk, and several little bugs crawling around. Finn clenched his jaw, clutching the door handle against his hip to the point of bruising and trying his hardest to ignore the foul smells of the janitor's closet, and the nauseating feeling of the little feet of insects crawling over his skin.

He waited in the darkness with growing impatience as the creatures he heard before slowly made their way through the hall, talking amongst themselves in a language he couldn't understand. He watched them through a little hole in the door. There was a gigantic cobra slithering in the group, its eyes completely yellow with the edges caked in some dried brown substance that made his stomach churn unpleasantly. A huge slug in a lab coat accompanied the snake, as well as a werewolf in a security guard uniform.

Lip's pressed tightly in a thin line, his heart thumping erratically in his ringing ears, Finn waited. Not making a move even if the bugs crawling over him were dangerously close to slipping into his ears and nostrils.

Right when their backs were turned to the door, the snake paused. Finn bit back a yelp of surprise when the small hole he was looking through was filled with the snake's sickly yellow eye. Crouching out of sight, Finn's grip on the door handle tightened, mingled with cold sweat. He could hear the snake hiss hungrily from the other side of the door.

The eyes seemed to stay there for what felt like hours. Finn was starting to lose hope of ever coming out of this alive, if the snake didn't sink its poisonous fangs into him, the bugs surely would have eaten him alive.

A loud clatter from far away broke the tense silence. The cobra's eye vanished. Finn hesitantly looked through it and saw with a wave of relief that the monsters were hurrying off to where the noise had come from, far away from him.

His muscles were a mess of jelly from the shock and relief, but once he knew it was safe to leave, Finn opened the door, and with trembling legs, continued his journey, swatting himself to get rid of the insects still on him.

The visiting room wasn't far away. He knew this part of the hallway and would always remember it awalking back to his prison after being parted from Kurt.

Finn placed his hand over the folder pressed against his stomach. Kurt would become a victim as well. His only reliable source to reality, and the only person he could find comfort in. Finn couldn't let the disease take his stepbrother. He couldn't let any of the others fall victim to it either.

He had to go home. He needed to figure out how…

Finn stiffened. The ornament. He looked around himself, patting his pockets. He dropped it somehow! He –

Something swung and hit his chest lightly. Touching it, he felt the bumps of the silver pineapple. Before he could question how it ended up around his neck he felt a light ghostly brush on his cheek, a familiar chill sweeping through him.

Suzy.

Finn clutched the ornament, silently thanking the dead girl. He was interrupted from his thoughts by a low growl coming from behind him, growing steadily louder. All the little hairs on his arms stood on end; Finn ran the rest of the way down the hall and broke through the doors at the end, stumbling into the visiting room.

This place was a mess as well, but he paid no mind to it. The door at the other side was only a few yards away. His door to freedom. Crying out in relief and triumph, he rushed to it, tripping over a few chairs along the way.

His hand wrapped around the cool door handle when something grabbed him from behind and flung him away, sending him crashing into the wall. Winded, he gasped for air, looking up through his pain at his new obstacle, the back of his head throbbing.

Torn and rotted skin reluctantly clinging onto bones and dried up muscle, a zombie in a shredded up security guard's uniform loomed over him, his dislocated jaw permanently leaving him with a gaping mouth of decayed and missing teeth. He was breathing heavily, a hint of a voice laced within it and growing in dumb moans of excitement as dead beady eyes glared over him. Finn wouldn't have recognized him if he hadn't spotted the cracked name tag on the undead creature's jacket.

John. John Hunter. The guard who would often escort him around the building.

He leaned closer to the frozen teen; his putrid breath invading Finn's senses. He made a soft 'hyuk, hyuk' sound that could only be identified as a chuckle, and grabbed Finn by the shoulders.

Finn swung his hand at the zombie only to realize he'd lost his fire extinguisher in the fall. It was lying out of arms reach by the door. "No!" he whimpered, pulling at the bony hands. It was no use; he was too scared and weak against it. Tears of despair started spilling. It was too late now. He was going to die. "No! No!"

Fangs grew out of John's blackened gums, green with venom. Eyes turned red with mad fury. His jaw fell impossibly lower as he let out an inhuman screech so loud it blew over Finn's face, splattering him with spit.

His strength diminished. The zombie's scream had left him deaf and teetering on the edge of consciousness.

This was the end. He was done for.

"No…please…" he murmured emptily.

The zombie lifted him up effortlessly and threw him sideways again. Finn hit the door and slid to the floor, his head slamming into the discarded fire extinguisher. He shut his eyes praying for a quick death. He couldn't move anymore.

It's all over…

He opened his eyes to his killer. He was slowly approaching him with a limp foot, drool dripping down his chin. Finn lifted his head, but fell once more with a loud clang.

…Clang?

His eyes widened. The fire extinguisher!

Strength renewed with hope, he shakily grabbed the bent up tank and whipped the hose around towards the zombie's face, clenching onto the trigger with all the force he had. Immediately, white foam exploded out of the hose, hitting the undead man square on the face and sending him down in surprise. Pushing himself to his feet, Finn swung the tank down, in blind panic, slamming the zombie in the head repeatedly.

_"Stop! Finn! Stop!"_

His muscles froze against his will, the fire extinguisher rolling onto the floor. "S-Suzy?" he looked around the room, but it was empty. There was no reply.

The zombie had stopped moving, the red stained foam covering his face making it unable to tell if he was dead or not. A new dread filled Finn. He may have been a monster now, but in reality John was still a human. And Finn could have killed him now.

As the teen stood trembling in horror over his actions, the zombie's clothes began to change. It was as if time were going backwards and instead of a torn up uniform, it was brand new with its shiny silver badge and fixed nametag.

_"I can't help anymore,"_ Suzy's voice echoed feebly in his head, _"take his uniform and go."_

"His uniform?" Finn squeaked, dropping down to his knees. He waited in silence, but no answer came. Swallowing down the urge to vomit, he grit his teeth and set about in removing John of his clothes. He was met with no resistance, which only strengthened his fear that he may have killed the burly man.

It may have been cool to watch this on TV in the comforts of his home with a bowl of popcorn, but now all he could feel was shame and disgust all at once. It was weighing heavily on his shoulders like the jacket he shrugged on, and all he wanted to do was crawl into a corner and bawl his eyes out. He felt like he was putting on the skin of another person.

Sniffling, he finished lacing up his boots and stood up, zipping up the jacket and slipping on John's hat. Stuffing his hands into the pockets of the jacket, he walked in a daze to the door, keeping his head low so the brim of the hat could hide his face.

On the other side of the door was a dark hallway with the only light coming from the glass door at the end of it. From where he stood, Finn could see the parking lot and the night sky.

"Did ya catch him?" an old cranky woman asked, startling Finn. It wasn't an old lady though, it was an angry looking skeleton sitting comfortably behind a desk. The receptionist, and judging from the way she was stretching out and rubbing her eyes, she had just woken up.

Knowing that speaking would only get him caught, Finn shook his head, hunching his shoulders nervously. The skeleton didn't seem to notice his odd behavior.

"Then what was all that noise back there?" she nodded and pointed with her thumb to the visiting room, "coulda sworn I heard a kid scream…" she paused and stared blankly at the disguised teen. Finn had no idea what she was thinking behind that blank skeletal face until she said in revulsion, "oh god, you're not doing _that_ again are you?" Finn wasn't sure how to respond, but it was answer enough for the receptionist, "you're disgusting. One of these days you're gonna get caught," she sneered, "get out of my sight."

Not needing to be told twice, Finn turned tail and fought hard not to run for the exits. It didn't escape him that now he could understand the monsters again, and he had a feeling that now that he was disguised as one, he knew their language too. Probably another product of Suzy's help.

Which led him to another question. Exactly how powerful was Suzy for her to be able to help him this much?

Once he pushed the glass doors open and was met with the bitter chill of winter, Finn could think no more. For those delicious few seconds, he could only feel that bubbling happiness of freedom.

Then he took in the red skies, dried up and blackened trees, and shadowy figures looming in the sky and around him. Finn's joy dropped. He was far from free. He had to get to Kurt.

The parking lot held a few cars, if they could be called that. They held the basic shape of one except they were bigger, jagged edged, and on the point of falling apart. In reality though, Finn was sure these were perfectly sturdy and ready to go. He fished through his pockets; John had to have a car.

Sure enough, his fingers brushed over keys, and a slim cell phone. There were three keys, one with a remote control, and two others that were probably for John's home. Finn walked through the cars carefully, pressing the unlock button every now and then towards each car.

A black disheveled car blinked its broken headlights lights weakly. It was old and beaten up, with different shades of paint jobs, what looked like a trash can mounted on top as a third rate engine, and it's bumpers hanging by a nail. Relief flooded Finn. He threw open the flimsy door and jumped inside, thanking whatever pitying god that everything from the steering wheel to the brakes were where they should be.

Slamming the door shut, he started the car and pulled out of the parking spot, as far away from Apate as possible.

Despite driving through morbid streets with only the faintest hints of what they used to be in reality, Finn was starting to relax. He was out of the institution, no one was following him, and he was well on his way home. Kurt would erase the hallucinations and everything would be all right again. He just had to endure this a little longer.

He wiped his face on the sleeve of his jacket, letting out a soft laugh of relief. It was almost over. He was going home.

Then it struck him that he had no idea where he was going. There were no monsters so far, but he was still utterly lost. Finn pulled out John's cell phone and dialed Kurt's number.

He glanced at the rearview mirror just as he was about to press the call button and saw a gigantic worm-like parasite lounging in the backseat, its mouth wide open and showing millions of rows of razor sharp teeth, reaching all the way to the back of its huge tunnel of a mouth.

Finn screamed at the top of his lungs.

The car swerved to the side and hit a tree, knocking Finn into the door, his shoulder cracking the window. Whimpering in pain, he scrambled out of the car just as the worm moved forward in attack, destroying the seat he'd been in not a second ago, and getting a mouthful of the steering wheel.

Clutching his arm, Finn ran as fast as his legs could go, not really caring what direction he went as long as it was far away from the parasite.

He could hear it shriek behind him, metal groaning in protest and engine exploding from the car in the monster's rage. Feeling the after waves of the explosion brushing forcefully past him, Finn ran faster, his legs screaming in protest.

Kurt. He had to get to Kurt.

"Hck!" Finn choked, the ornament around his neck sprang to life and pulled him down a narrow street he'd never seen before. It pulled so strongly, that Finn had no choice, but to go in that direction or else he'd end up choking or lose his head. It pulled him this way and that as though an invisible hand were trying to yank it from him. Gasping for breath, he clutched the ribbon, and then realized he still had John's cell phone.

The parasite shrieked again, much closer now. Finn ran faster with a sob of frustration. The inanimate objects around him were becoming alive, turning to him with grotesquely warped faces, reach out to him with thin gnarly arms. A dried up oak tree twisted around in front of him, shooting its branches to him like darts. Finn ducked under the attack, screaming when blunt pieces of wood pierced through his skin.

A low rumbling of laughter shook the town. Finn was forced to run through a vicious looking bush to cut through an abandoned park. The park that was near the path he'd always take to go home – he knew where he was now!

The laughter continued, mocking his misery. Finn looked up where the offending sound was coming from and saw a large apparition of what looked to be a broad-shouldered man hovering against the wide expanse of the red sky. Except it wasn't a man. He was skeletal, with a bull's skull for a head, empty eyes piercing through Finn's soul.

For a second Finn forgot how to breathe. He tripped over a bench, stumbling into the street. He was terrified, his legs were moving, but he couldn't register it. Neither could he hear himself crying and screaming for his life. Those empty eyes froze him from the inside. He felt suffocated. He knew who this was, even before he raised his great scythe that cut through the sky in one mighty slice.

Death.

The ornament fell against his chest, leaving Finn to fall on his knees, trembling almost violently from the shock of seeing the grim reaper himself.

_"…Hello?..."_

He looked down at the scraped and lens cracked cell phone miraculously still in his blood caked hand. Somewhere along the way he ended up pressing the call button. Swallowing back the urge to vomit, Finn raised the phone to his ear.

_"…Hello?"_ Kurt's voice fizzed through the earpiece more demandingly. He sounded as though he just woke up and was very irritated about it. Even so, his voice was like sweet music to Finn's ears. It felt like years since he heard him, even though he'd just seen him a few hours ago. _"who is this?"_

Looking up, Finn saw his home, unmarred by the lucidness of the environment, sitting on a little island with a river of lava surrounding it. Finn was a hair away from slipping into the burning river, but he didn't have the energy to move. Already his other hand, which was holding him up from the ground, caught on fire, but he couldn't register the pain in his numbed state.

"K-Kurt…" he whispered into the cell phone, not taking his eyes off his home. The place he dreamt of returning to for so long.

A long pause followed. Rustling could be heard in the background as if Kurt was scrambling out of bed. _"Finn?"_ he replied in barely a whisper, _"how did you…how are you calling me right now? Is everything all right?"_

His vision was blurring with tears. "I'm…" he whimpered, "I-I'm outside…" and before he could finish, something grabbed him by the hair, and yanked him backwards, he was only able to say, "I'm ho – "

Then everything went dark.


	12. The Hypnotist

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A brief reunion with parents turns to another escape.

 

…

Chapter Twelve

The Hypnotist

…

To be honest, Kurt was going to hang up after being woken from the incessant ringing of his phone, and all from a number he didn't recognize. However, curiosity and the urge to tell whoever called him to piss off won over his initial desires and he answered.

It was Finn.

Getting a call from his stepbrother just before the crack of dawn wasn't what Kurt expected. Neither was the growing anxiety in hearing the heavy panicked breathes of his stepbrother. Now alert, Kurt kicked off the bed sheets and sat up. This wasn't a normal call. Finn wasn't allowed to call home; all patients were banned from this privilege. Whatever was going on, it couldn't have been normal enough to wake him up so late, or rather early, like this.

"Finn?" his voice felt distant to him, "how you did…how are you calling me right now? Is everything all right?"

_"I'm…"_ There was a whimper. Finn was crying. _"I-I'm outside…I'm ho –"_

Kurt waited. The line hadn't cut off. Something forced Finn to stop talking. "Finn?" he said fearfully, only met with silence and the fizz of the din in the background, "Finn!" he stood up, more alarmed, "Finn, answer me! Fi –"

Then he did hear something. A shrill screech from something that _could not be human_. It sent shivers down Kurt's spine and froze him on the spot, eyes growing wide from the horrendous cry that blasted into his eardrums.

What. Was. That?

"F-Finn?" he called again in a tiny voice.

But Finn didn't answer, nor was there another repeat of that terrible scream. Kurt could hear, though, the audible thumping of something in the background. He swallowed thickly, hoping that wasn't what he thought it was.

Finn was in trouble.

And he said he was outside.

Coming out of his paralysis, Kurt snapped his phone shut and ran out the room, his only thought to get to Finn and see if he was okay.

It was five in the morning, and still pretty dark out, it would be about an hour before Carole and Burt would wake up to get ready for work. Hopefully the sight of Finn, if he really was outside, would jog their memories and they could finally remember him.

And then, he thought, rushing down the stairs and to the door, he could call Carole 'mom' without feeling so guilty anymore.

Kurt swung open the front door and was welcomed with the biting winter chill blowing through his thin pajamas and scaring off the warmth he still had from being buried under the sheets of his bed. It only made him more alert. He stumbled outside, light snow soaking his gray socks and staining them near black, he was hit with that burning sensation of extreme cold, but he didn't care.

Across the street he could see Finn and…

Kurt's eyes widened in horrified fascination. Finn was moving awkwardly on the ground, as if something invisible were beating him up. His head was swaying left and right harshly, and his whole body was shuddering as if he were going into some kind of seizure.

He looked possessed.

Shaking away nightmarish visions of demons possessing his stepbrother's body, Kurt ran across the street, feet going numb against the slush of snow. "Finn!" he shouted, voice shrill with fear the closer he got. He threw himself over him, knees slamming into the concrete. Almost immediately, Finn stopped moving and remained still as soon as Kurt touched him. He was unconscious.

Sniffling, realizing he was a second from bawling his eyes out at the mix of happiness and horror that Finn was out of Apate and home, Kurt took a second to look over him. He was dressed in a security guard uniform, torn up from twigs and other random things Finn probably ran into. He was covered in bruises and cuts, his right hand looking especially beat up. What the hell did Finn have to do to get here like this?

"Oh god," Kurt whispered, grasping Finn's shoulders and shaking them, "Finn! Wake up! Please!" Nothing. He was completely limp in his hands. Kurt was about to really start to panic when the other teen stirred. He wasn't fully awake, and he was mumbling something unintelligible, but it was something, "come on," Kurt sniffled, snaking an arm underneath Finn's back and hoisting him up with as much strength he could muster. Luckily Finn was somewhat conscious enough to stand, though he swayed dangerously, "come, let's get you inside."

They crossed the empty street in slow careful steps. Kurt fought hard against the oncoming wave of tears, determined to get Finn inside.

Finn was home.

He was home.

What would have brought happiness now brought dread to the shorter teen. Finn was wasn't due back until he was completely cured, and after what he just witnessed, he was far from it. Which led him to the only logical and obvious answer. Finn escaped.

If Finn wasn't cured, and he escaped, showing up at their doorstep at five in the morning, looking beaten up and, judging from the phone call, terrified, then he came back after facing an onslaught of hallucinations. Going through that, running from the supposedly tightly sealed Apate all the way home must have been a feat. How did he do it?

Shutting the door behind them and helping Finn up the stairs, Kurt was caught between calling the institution and keeping quiet. Beiste's words had hit home the other day. He really couldn't trust Finn's word over someone much saner than him. He hated admitting it, but perhaps Apate really was the best place for his stepbrother, and if not Apate, then another equally good institution. Kurt hated himself all the more when he thought this, and had been grudgingly settling into the idea ever since his last visit to Apate until now.

With Finn in his arms again, Kurt couldn't stop his own selfish desires to keep him home where he belonged.

They trudged quietly down the dark hallway and entered Kurt's bedroom. Ever since their parents forgot all about Finn they fell into the impression that all of Finn's stuff was Kurt's. For a while it stayed that way until they started believing that it was a shrine to Kurt's 'childhood friend'. After much arguing, Kurt gave up on ever making them understand that they had another son, or that they shouldn't throw out Finn's belongings. Soon after that Burt and Carole were starting to suspect that he was going crazy and were in talks of getting him a psychiatrist. So in an effort to save Finn's stuff and keep the impending psycho suspicions at bay, Kurt had to go through the painstaking task of getting Rachel and the others to hold Finn's things until he returned home. He himself kept a few of Finn's clothes which were easier to hide.

So now Finn's room had been transformed into a craft room for Carole. Kurt never mentioned this to Finn knowing how much of a punch in the gut that would feel, and now he regretted it, because he was finally home, and his bedroom was virtually gone. Meaning Finn was no longer welcome home.

Biting his lip hard, Kurt guided the taller teen to the bathroom, sitting him down on the toilet. "I'll get you a change of clothes," he said quietly in as steady a voice as possible. Finn nodded sluggishly, looking a second away from fainting. Unable to look at the bruised and scratched up face of his old crush, Kurt turned away and flicked the light switch on, wincing at the blaring white light that filled his eyes before going back to his room.

He was in the middle of pulling out a pair of jeans and sweatshirt from the bottom of his dresser when the dead silence was broken by the loud staccato of the shower being turned on and the thumping of something, or someone, falling. Struck with panic, Kurt ran back to the bathroom to find that Finn had moved from the toilet and was now splayed uncomfortably over the tub with his legs hanging from the edge.

"I…I just…" with cold water washing over him, the older teen was becoming more alert. The rims of his eyes were going red, tears glistening, and a distraught and vaguely confused look on his face. "I-I…" he fidgeted around to seat himself properly in the tub, the onslaught of water quickly making the uniform cling to him and make his movements more sluggish than they already were. Kurt kneeled and pulled him close, not caring that Finn was soaking his shirt, "I just…" he scrunched his eyes shut, unable to prevent a small sob from escaping, "I wanna wake up," he whimpered into Kurt's shirt, "I wanna wake up, I wanna wake up, I wanna wake up."

"It's okay," Kurt said tightly, his constricting throat making it hard for him to speak without breaking down, "It's okay, you're home now, you're safe," he continued in hushed tones, his eyes burning with tears, "you're safe."

Finn clutched onto Kurt like a lifeline, burying his face in his chest. "Don't send me back there…they almost got me…and…oh god I killed him, I killed him!"

Kurt's insides turned to ice. He dearly hoped he heard wrong. "W-what?"

"H-he was a zombie…" Finn hiccupped, "he tried to – to kill me and…and I didn't…" his grip on Kurt was becoming painful, "I didn't know what to do!"

Kurt's eyes widened. Finn…killed someone?

He wanted Finn to elaborate, but couldn't find his voice to ask, nor was he brave enough to. Finn couldn't have…he wasn't a killer. He wouldn't hurt…

Kurt swallowed thickly. Finn did hurt someone. Karofsky. Azimio.

Rachel.

"No…No. You're not a killer," Kurt ground out, holding Finn closer, the shower splashing over the crisp white tiled floor and onto his old flannel pants. The air had become colder with the shower. The blaring light that filled the immaculate bathroom creating a stark reality that screamed in his face with sickening nausea. This wasn't a dream.

Finn was here. In his arms.

"You're not a killer," Kurt repeated, kissing the crown of his stepbrother's head. Finn was still shuddering, "we're going to get you help, not Apate, not an institution, okay? I'm never…I'm never letting you out of my sight again, okay?" his voice broke, and before he knew it, he was crying too, burying his face in the soaked mess of Finn's dark hair. Even though it was a little matted down from sweat and water, it was still soft and warm, filled with a scent that could only be described as Finn's. Kurt fought back a sob. He missed him. He missed him so much.

_"Put on your Sunday clothes when you feel down and out!"_

The familiar melody of one of Hello Dolly's songs rang out from the bedroom, startling both teens into looking to the open door that led to the room still swamped in darkness. Kurt bit back a hysterical laugh over the complete wrongness of such a happy ringtone playing out while they were in the bathroom, soaking wet and crying in each other's arms. He made to stand, but stumbled when Finn held him down.

"No! Don't leave me!" he quivered, only to realize a second later that he was being ridiculous. He loosened his grip, ashamed at displaying how terrified he was of Kurt leaving his side even if it was for a few seconds. "Sorry…" he mumbled, letting his arms drop.

Wiping his eyes quickly, Kurt shut off the shower and help Finn out of the tub, "it's okay," he whispered, guiding him back to the toilet, "I'll be back in a second, I swear."

Biting his bottom lip, Finn nodded, looking like a scared little boy. Feeling another wave of tears coming, Kurt left the bathroom and snatched his cell from his bed; cutting off Barbara Streisand's steadily climbing voice.

Another unfamiliar number.

"Hello?" he cleared his throat, returning to the bathroom. Finn was still sniffling quietly, staring at patterns of the small fluffy rug situated in front of the sink. Kurt stood by his side and took his hand, hoping it would bring some kind of comfort, if not keep the hallucinations at bay.

_"Kurt Hummel."_

He froze, recognizing that smooth and haunting voice. His phone creaked dangerously to breaking point in his tightened grip. "What do you want?" he hissed, venom in his voice.

_"I'm calling on the matter of your brother, Finn Hudson. A few hours ago he somehow managed to leave the premises of the institution, his location for now is unknown, but we're working hard on finding him and returning him to the safety of Apate."_

Kurt glanced down at Finn, who was still staring at the rug. He'd calmed down somewhat, a numbness taking over his face. Kurt squeezed his hand comfortingly. At least there was one good thing. Laurence had no idea where Finn went, so for now they were safe.

But how long was safe?

"H-How did he escape?" Kurt feigned worry.

_"We're still not quite sure. We have reason to believe that someone helped him out of his room since no internal damage has been done to the door or window…but he did attack one of the guards on his way out of the building."_ Kurt's heart stopped. _"The man is in critical condition at the hospital right now, from what we've been told, he has a good chance of recovery."_

Kurt exhaled a long breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. He was alive! Finn didn't kill anyone! Before he could secretly deliver the news to Finn, however, Laurence continued.

_"I hope you realize the seriousness of Finn's condition. Unless he's made it home – to you…he's still under the influence of his hallucinations, and a danger to those around him. If you do know of his whereabouts, please tell me and I'll return him to Apate, where he'll be able recuperate from his illness."_

Kurt really wanted to spit back a 'no', but knew that if he did, then it would only bring unneeded suspicion to him. Besides. He was still stuck between sending Finn back, or keeping him home.

Finn didn't kill anyone, but he still attacked someone badly enough to put them in the hospital. On the other hand, that was Apate's own fault for keeping Finn away from him, his only source to reality. If anything, his condition worsened in his time in the institution. Kurt noted the hollowing in Finn's cheeks, the dark circles under his eyes, and the general air of defeat that surrounded him. This wasn't the Finn he knew. Apate destroyed him.

"I will," Kurt lied into the phone.

_"Good. I will be dispatching a team to your home to guard your family in the case that Finn does reach you – "_

"What!" Kurt squeaked, "when?"

_"They're already on their way."_

"But…my parents! They don't know – "

_"They will understand when the team arrives. You'll keep your promise to return Finn, won't you?"_ something about the way Laurence said that made Kurt feel uneasy. _"You wouldn't happen be hiding him in your bathroom. Would you?"_

In a bout of paranoia, Kurt snuck a glance to his room, but it was empty. "Of course not," he murmured tersely.

_"I know you've never trusted me from the start…but Apate is not a lie. We work day and night to ensure the safety and full recovery of our patients…Finn is safe here. He belongs in Apate…Bring him back."_

Kurt swallowed thickly. There was something about that silky smooth voice that was making his head feel fuzzy. It was sweet and alluring, wrapping around his brain like a gentle caress that promised good things. Finn…belonged in Apate…

His hand was squeezed gently forcing him to look down at the stranger sitting on his toilet.

Stranger?

Kurt blinked and shook his head roughly. Finn looked up at him with his brows knitted, cheeks still a little pink and tear stained. His crush. No wait…his stepbrother. His stepbrother who suffered severe hallucinations and had just escaped a mental institution.

How could he have forgotten him even for a second?

Kurt's eyes widened. He forgot Finn the same way Carole did. Like Sam and Blaine's parents did. The tiny hope that it was all due to shock from having to put their child in a nut house was quickly snuffed out.

"You're hypnotizing me," he whispered in disbelief. The silence in the other line only strengthened this radical idea. How was Laurence doing it? Through a fucking phone?

Why didn't it work before?

_"Where is Finn?"_ Laurence asked instead. He wasn't even denying it.

"I don't know," Kurt trembled, paling. This was way too unreal. Mental disabilities, he could take. Even the epidemic of suicides, he could take. But hypnotism ran more into the unnatural than Kurt was comfortable with.

And what, he recalled with a sickening twist in his stomach, was that scream before when Finn called him?

Laurence sighed, knocking him out of his thoughts. _"Even a child could tell you were lying. I am both impressed and disappointed with your stamina and your need to protect Finn. Erasing him from your memories will prove a challenge."_

"E-Erasing?" Kurt whispered, "is that what you've done to our parents?" he was shaking with rage, "you…who _are_ you?"

_"The fact that you know now matters little. You will remain with Finn in your room until the team arrives to retrieve him."_

"I'm not letting you take him," Kurt blurted out with conviction, "I don't know how you've managed to hypnotize people into handing over their children to you, but I'm _never_ letting you take Finn again!"

At this Finn's eyes glittered up at him with hope and relief. For a second he didn't look so tragic, and it made Kurt's heart swell.

Laurence's next words killed that small moment of happiness.

_"You are not Finn's parent or guardian. I believe your parents are the ones who have a final say."_

Just as he said this, Burt stood by the doorway with Carole by his side, still in pajamas and looking somewhat haggard. He was holding a shotgun, one Kurt had never seen before and wasn't even aware his father owned. And he was aiming it straight at him. Kurt looked between his father and Carole, trying to decipher their blank faces. They were looking back at him dully, no trace of recognition or remorse in their eyes. It didn't take much for Kurt to know they weren't themselves.

Laurence was behind this. After what he just discovered, and was still too hesitant to believe, he knew Laurence was somehow controlling Burt and Carole. Kurt's phone dropped to his side like dead weight.

He was definitely dreaming.

"Mom?" Finn's small voice pierced through the tense silence. His mother didn't reply, remaining blank faced and dull eyed. "Mom?" Finn tried again, gingerly standing up. All this did was make Burt flick the safety, the sound resonating through the bathroom ominously. Kurt grabbed Finn's arm to keep him from moving any further.

"Dad?" he said unsurely, his voice wavering, "wh-what are you doing?" The older man didn't reply, keeping his gun aimed at Kurt. "Dad?" he squeaked a little, tears prickling in his eyes. "It's me. It's Kurt," he couldn't believe this was happening. His own father, his clumsy yet gentle and kind father, was a trigger away from shooting him in the chest. "It's your son," he continued weakly.

"Mom," Finn repeated, his voice shaking terribly, "I've waited…so long…please," he whispered, "it's me, remember?"

Something flickered in Carole's eyes, but it died instantly.

"Please remember," Finn quietly begged, "it's Finn. It's _me_ ," he took a step forward, ignoring the tight grip Kurt had on his arm. Carole remained blank, but Finn pushed forward, desperate to have his mother say his name, smile, hug him, _something_. The woman looked up at him; the tired lines on her face making her seem older. She was starting to look strained. Unable to say anymore, Finn wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly, burying his face in the curve of her neck. She still smelled the same, like summer and the faint trace of perfume she always wore. Her skin felt so soft and welcoming against his cheek, soft hair tickling his forehead.

But she wasn't hugging back, and it broke his heart more.

It had been so long since he'd last seen her. All those fitful nights when he wasn't thinking about Kurt or the yearning for his old life, he thought of his mother's laughter, her warm smile, and her fierce support. He thought of the heartbreak she suffered from his father's death, and then try to pick up the pieces and start anew, only to have it shattered again when her hopes got too high. He thought of how strong she was to never get bogged down by those disappointments, how she still loved him even after he told her about Quinn and the baby. Even letting her stay when her parents kicked her out. He needed that strong and courageous woman back. Be reminded that she still loved him.

Because if she didn't, it was no worse that her being dead.

Carole shuddered in his arms; Burt swayed to the side and lowered the gun uncertainly.

Finn held her tighter, "please come back to me mom."

Stomping down the fear of getting shot, Kurt hesitantly hurried to his father, gingerly prying the gun from his weak hands. He wasn't sure what was happening, or if Finn had anything to do with it, but their parents seemed to be coming to their senses.

"Dad," he started, swallowing thickly, "you have to fight it. Laurence Niac? The guy who took Finn away from us? He's controlling you," he looked into his father's eyes, seeing the internal struggle the man was going through, "Fight it, you're stronger than this, you can beat it!"

Burt groaned and leaned heavily against the door frame, "Kurt…"

"Dad!" he almost laughed with joy.

"I can't…" he touched his temple and scrunched his eyes shut from the pain, "Run…take….take Finn and run…"

"No, I'm not leaving you – "

Carole screamed in pain, clutching her head and breaking away from Finn as she fell to the floor. "God, I can't stand it!" she whimpered. Finn kneeled and held her close, unsure of what else to do.

"Damnit Kurt run!" Burt grunted, "we'll…we'll figure something out…but get out of here!" he took a few measured breaths, the migraine pulsing painfully in his brain as it suffered the war he held against the intruder demanding control of his body, "I don't want to hurt you…please!"

Kurt sobbed, knowing what his father was trying to say. He shook his head stubbornly, pulling him into a tight embrace. "I love you," he cried, unable to say any of the protests that were screaming in his head. He couldn't just leave him here like this.

Burt nodded, weakly hugging back, "we'll be fine…I promise."

"Oh god," Carole cried in her son's arms, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!"

Finn nodded, too overwhelmed to say anything. She remembered him now, that's all that mattered.

"Finn," Kurt reluctantly pulled away from his father, tugging at the huddled teen's jacket. "We have to go. Apate's sent a team here; they're going to take you back if we don't leave now –"

"No!" Finn yelled, "I just got her back!"

"They're going to take her away again if we don't leave!" Kurt yelled, though quietly wishing he could stay as well. The other teen shook his head roughly. All that effort of running through the nightmarish hell of monsters and now he was going to be separated from his family again? From the one person in the world he loved the most?

"Finn, go," Carole trembled, eyes tearful and full of remorse. "It'll be…okay, I promise."

He felt so lost, he didn't want to say goodbye so quickly. "Mom, come with us," he whimpered.

A translucent gray hand rested on Carole's shoulder. Finn looked up in surprise, but there was no body attached to the hand.

_"We'll protect them. I promise."_

Suzy.

It was Suzy again. A sense of calm washed over Finn, probably the work of the dead girl. Once again she was reaching out to him in his moment of dire need.

And he trusted her.

Along with the calm, his tears finally stopped. Sniffling, Finn leaned over and kissed his mother's cheek before reluctantly standing up. Kurt watched him warily, unaware of what had just transpired. He hesitantly took Finn's hand and instantly any sense of connection the taller boy felt towards Suzy vanished.

"We don't have much time," Kurt wiped his face roughly, pulling them out of the bathroom. Finn watched in a daze as he stepbrother grabbed a messenger bag sitting on his dresser and slipped on a pair of sneakers. Finn was about to return to his mother, who had crawled to Burt and was hugging him, both crying from the pain of their sons leaving, and from the mental battle against outside forces trying to control them. He wanted to give them a final hug, but Kurt grabbed his hand again and they were running down the hall, which was still eerily dark and quiet, down the stairs, and out into the blistering cold morning.

It was still dark, but the sun was starting to creep up, the black sky turning into a navy blue and purple. Finn let himself get pulled to the driveway where Kurt's Navigator was parked.

"Where are we gonna go?" he asked, his voice rasping from so much crying. He slid into the passenger seat and busied himself with putting on his seatbelt.

Kurt started the ignition, he was crying again. "R-Rachel's," he quivered, backing out of the driveway, "some of your stuff's there. I…I have no idea what's going on, I'm freaking out here – how the fuck are we going to help our parents – he's hypnotized them, Finn! My dad was gonna shoot me! I never believed in stuff like magic, but…" he sniffled loudly, trying to stay focused enough on the road to not get them killed, "what the hell's going on!"

"I don't know!" Finn buried his face in his hands, "I don't know! I'm not even sure how I escaped, why my hallucinations are so real, or how a dead girl's been helping me this whole time, I don't _know!_ "

"Then how are we gonna – " Kurt cut short, watching with wide eyes as a black van drove past them with the word Apate printed in big white letters on the sides. It happened so quickly that Kurt was sure, or prayed, that they didn't recognize his car, or catch a glimpse of him or Finn. He glanced at his rearview mirror to see if the van would make an abrupt stop and turn.

It continued down the road.

"Finn," Kurt breathed quietly, the shock of almost getting caught momentarily keeping his earlier freak out at bay, "how are we going to stop them? They've controlled our parents – the parents of the patients in Apate, how are we ever going to get our life back? They're not gonna stop until they find you."

Finn shook his head, leaning back in his seat. The soft and comfortable seat of Kurt's car. He hadn't enjoyed the smell of this car in so long…

"How did you escape?" Kurt continued when he got no response.

Finn let out a harsh laugh. If he told Kurt he got out of his room simply by _walking though_ the walls while _dreaming_ , he wouldn't believe him. Finn still couldn't believe he'd done it. He was starting to feel like a mutant from the X-men comics, except he had to end up with the worst power, seeing and getting attacked by nightmarish creatures. After talking to the patients in Apate, he wished he had their problems instead, he could handle going under the belief that he could control gravity, or walk through walls like a ghost.

_"You can hop through dreams."_

Finn scowled, he still had no idea what Alan meant by that. He'd met with other people in his dreams, but he wasn't aware if he was dreaming by himself or in another person's dream. All he got from them was Suzy begging for his help, help of which he had no idea how to provide. That and people telling him to go to a place called Babylon.

What _was_ in Babylon?

"Finn?" Kurt sounded much calmer now; they were several blocks away from their house, the empty streets passing by still in slumber. It made Finn feel like the only person living in the world. It was kind of lonely. "How did you escape?"

"You wouldn't believe me," he mumbled, tugging at the damp sleeves of the security guard jacket he was still wearing. Kurt noticed this and resisted from smacking his forehead.

"Oh my god," he sighed, "Finn take off the jacket you'll catch a cold," he fumbled for the messenger bag between them and tossed it to the startled teen, "there's a sweater in there, I think, and a pair of pants, just put them on for now until we get your clothes at Rachel's."

Halfway into pulling off the jacket, Finn paused and eyed Kurt suspiciously, "why does Rachel have my stuff?"

Kurt winced, keeping his eyes up ahead. "I'll explain later."

Finn huffed, but didn't press on. He removed the jacket, pulling on the fleece black sweater and then moving on to unbuttoning his pants. Something crinkled against his stomach. It felt so natural at first since it had been pressed against him for so long, but now that everything seemed somewhat calmer, Finn quickly remembered what he also brought back with him from Apate.

The folder.

Lifting his shirt, he pulled out the bent folder and opened it. The edges were a little wet, but otherwise they were perfectly dry. Finn looked down at the first profile at the top of the pile of papers. His own photograph stared back at him; he looked a lot younger and full of life here. He knew when this picture was taken, and couldn't believe it was only four months ago that he looked like that whereas now he might as well be a zombie.

The tic tac toe image was gone, but what replaced it were several paragraphs of a language he couldn't understand. He bit his lip, trying to decipher it, only recognizing a scant few words of English in between the gibberish.

Dream Wanderer, and Empath were among these words.

Kurt took a glance at his stepbrother, "What is that?"

"Files," Finn murmured, looking through the other papers. He stopped at Suzy's. Most of her profile was in English. He stared at the large X over her grinning picture sadly. Over the course of just a few days, the ghost girl was quickly becoming like a sister to him. He felt a pang in his chest for not getting to know her properly when she was alive. Maybe then he could have prevented her death.

"Files of what?"

Finn frowned, skimming through the bits of English he could understand.

_Suzy Pepper. Ability Unknown. Has shown early signs of possibly being a Dream Wanderer, but…unique…pattern…travel while conscious. Her death has made … for…study…taken…Babylon._

Babylon. That name again.

"Finn, files of what?" Kurt repeated, turning the corner of a street, there was a detour up ahead of what looked like a car accident. The cops surrounding the bent up Toyota looked very confused. Kurt quickly ignored them and returned his attention to Finn, "I'm going to take a guess that those files are…profiles?" he glanced at the papers on his brother's lap, "of patients?"

"And future patients," Finn picked out Kurt's profile, but it was completely written in gibberish, the only English being, Ability Unknown. He hoped that meant Kurt wouldn't become a victim for a long while, and that by then everything would be solved. Finn bit his lip again. He wanted to stop all this, he really did. But he didn't know what to do. How the hell was he going to get to Babylon when he didn't know where it was?

"Future?" Kurt's face twisted in disbelief. Finn stuffed Kurt's profile at the bottom of the papers. He didn't seem to be in the mood to answer any more questions. Sighing, Kurt gave up and focused on the road again. They drove on in silence, hoping Rachel's home would bring them some form of safety before they planned on their next move.

…

Laurence hung up his phone with a tired click. His boss was back in her office with her two new 'pets' as she liked to call them. He sneered, everyday it seemed she was becoming more and more demented. It was probably a wise decision not to tell her one of her patients managed to escape Apate. He wouldn't be surprised if she killed him out of a bout of fury.

The slender man sighed, wondering if death actually was the better choice in this mess. He looked down at the blood stains left by John. He was on his way home with a plan to take a long luxurious bath when he received the call from the institution about Finn Hudson's escape. An escape which should have been impossible if Laurence didn't take a look at the camera recordings.

Looking at the terrified pixilated form of the boy running down the halls, Laurence knew he was still under the influence of his hallucinations. He had to give props the boy, though. He broke out of Apate while walking through a nightmare. That took guts. He was also intrigued to see that Finn had left his room unscathed by walking through the walls. Something he hadn't seen in a while. It was definitely worth investigating.

Of course, now he was a hair away from getting his head sliced by this 'heroic' act of escape. Laurence needed to find this kid and bring him back as quickly and quietly as possible before his boss ever caught a whiff of it.

Getting the parents to play a part failed miserably, though he couldn't understand why. Maybe Finn was more powerful than he seemed. It certainly showed in the video recordings of his escape.

Which brought him to his next move. He turned to the boy standing before him, his face already blank and mind molding beautifully in his hands. The few nurses and guards in the visiting room gave the pair startled looks. Laurence resisted a smirk, it would be the first time he'd use a patient like this, especially one so stubborn that he tried to escape Apate as well.

"Show me," he ordered, crossing his arms.

The boy reached out as if to shake his hand in greeting, but a second later a black mist coiled in front of his palm, shrinking down to form a sharp crystal. Everyone who was watching gasped and mumbled in shock. This was the first time a patient displayed conscious use of their ability in reality.

"It worked!" one of the nurses whispered loudly.

Laurence nodded, the boy flicked his wrist towards the floor and the crystal shot forward like a bullet, piercing into the floor with a bang. Witnesses gave out cries of surprise and backed away.

"This isn't his true ability," Laurence said calmly, "but it's enough for now. How much are we giving him?"

"Er…Four shots a day?" the nurse from before answered.

"Make it five – "

"What? He'll – "

"It's fine. He's a beast, he can take it," he looked into the unemotional blue eyes of the boy, "The Head wants to see how far it can go anyway," he shrugged, casually pocketing his hands so no one could see them shaking. "A patient has escaped the institution," he told the quiet boy, "he's a danger to both society and himself, bring him back to the institution – back _home_."

Shuddering under another wave of complete tranquility that blanketed over his mind, the boy nodded, crumbling under Laurence's control.


	13. Runaways

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finn and Kurt take refuge at the Berry's.

…

Chapter Thirteen

 

Runaways

 

…

The sun was pouring into the living room of the Berry home, its owners sitting together in one of the squashy couches that occupied the brightly decorated room like a picture of the perfect happy family. Or it would be if they didn't have worry etched in their faces.

After changing in one of their perfumed bathrooms, not even having the energy to criticize the much too chipper décor, Kurt found himself sitting across from them, waiting for Finn to finish washing up to join them.

Meanwhile he explained everything he could to Rachel, who now had her perfectly shaped brows knitted in concern.

"So he's still seeing things," she said quietly, fingers unconsciously clutching her star dotted pajama pants.

"We have to tell the police somehow," Mr. Berry, Leroy, spoke up, though he seemed skeptical himself on how to go about doing it. Kurt nodded vaguely. It wouldn't be easy explaining to the police that his parents were hypnotized into trying to kill him and Finn, nor that this same hypnotism was affecting the parents of all the patients of Apate.

"We need concrete proof," Mr. Berry's husband, Hiram, shook his head, "Finn's presence alone won't prove anything, neither would a few statements from Kurt or their parents, we need…video recordings, pictures, _something_."

"And Niac's probably already gotten to the police," Kurt thought out loud, "we couldn't get through to court remember?" he nodded towards Rachel who sighed in defeat. "No one will believe us."

A silence of dread followed this. It was true though. If they couldn't get the authorities on their side, what else could they do but hide and hope for the best? Kurt stared at the center table covered with empty coffee mugs and crumb dotted plates. Being Finn's cure to reality was good and everything, but Kurt couldn't bear to have it last forever. It would be heartbreaking to see his stepbrother suffer for the rest of his life fighting demons only he could see. There had to be a way to fix this.

…

After having some time to himself to think, Finn had calmed down significantly. It wasn't everyday that you're told your stepbrother had to move your stuff out of the house or risk your own mother tossing it in the garbage. He tried containing his grief, especially after seeing his stereo, football uniform, books and other possessions stacked up neatly in the Berry's basement, but once he stepped under the shower he couldn't hold it in anymore and crumbled down in the tub, hugging his knees and digging his nails in his skin at the frustration of Laurence Niac destroying his life with no chance of being stopped.

Having a good cry for who knows how long, Finn relaxed and went through the painstaking process of washing up, wincing every now and then when fingers pressed a little too roughly over bruises he couldn't remember getting from his escape. The bruise on the back of his head was particularly difficult to go around, and only kept reminding him of the security guard he almost killed.

But he couldn't think about that.

Concerning his mother, there was nothing to worry about anymore. She remembered him and Suzy promised to keep her safe. What he needed to focus on now was how to stop Laurence from fucking up his life more than he was doing already.

Finn zipped the fly of his jeans and slipped on the button. They felt funny, hanging on his hips rather than hugging them snuggly. He pulled at the waistband, surprised to see how big they were. Maybe that's why Rachel supplied him with a belt even though she knew he rarely ever wore them.

Finn bit his lip, hooking the black leather belt around his jeans. He felt weird. How thin had he gotten?

He looked at the fogged up mirror over the sink and wiped it. His reflection was blurry, but he could still make out the sunken cheeks, the dark circles under his eyes, the haunted look in his face. This was the result of malnutrition, medication, and anxiety all balled into one. He looked nothing like the picture on his profile, and it struck him how quickly he'd turned into this ghost of a person.

He looked away, his stomach churning. He used to be handsome. If anyone looked his way they'd swoon. Guys would admire him and seethe with envy. He hugged his arms, muscles soft from lack of use and forced to submit under all the injections given to him. He may not have been the most confident of his body, but he was proud of his arms and the strength they held with every throw of a football. Now he didn't even have that.

Would he ever get it back?

He sat down on the cushioned toilet top and sighed. He had to stop thinking about how good his life was before the hallucinations started, and focus on getting himself out of the giant hole he now found himself in.

The manila folder sat innocently on the sink, slightly curled from all the moisture in the bathroom. He wasn't able to give Kurt evidence before, but now that he had this folder, he had a chance at shutting down Apate and getting his life back in order.

He opened and looked through the documents with some despair. The problem now lied in decoding the mixed garbled language that hid the real information. He was pretty sure this wasn't any kind of human language, some of the 'letters' were images of eyes, bones, or random lines with hollow dots at the ends.

But why would Suzy give him these documents if they couldn't help him stop Apate?

Skimming through the papers more carefully, he realized they were not only profiles of students from McKinley like he originally thought, but of outsiders between the ages thirteen to nineteen. It felt like all the teenagers in at least Ohio, the stack of profiles were thick after all.

He stopped at Blaine's profile, remembering Kurt telling him that right after being hospitalized, his parents signed the papers to send him to Apate. Hopefully, if everything went right, Blaine wouldn't have to see the suffocating walls of the institution.

Finn read over his profile, it was mostly in gibberish, and very few English words stood out.

_…Initial symptom…reality…assist…Babylon._

And there it was again. Babylon. Ominously staring up at him. Why was Babylon so important? And why did Suzy ask him to go there? The more he thought about it, the more Finn was starting to believe that that's where all the patients went at some point in time. It was probably where the mysterious teacher was too.

He pulled up another profile, hoping for some kind of clue to pop up. It was Sam's and just as coded as Blaine's.

_…Manipulater…Pollen 162 – 4…mentally unstable…Babylon…delayed Initial symptom…_

Babylon again.

Heart drumming in his ears, Finn pulled up anyone else he might know.

_Artie Abrams…Dream Wanderer…Babylon…_

_Rachel Berry…netic…Initial…Babylon –_

_…Puckerman…ro…tom…Babylon…run…_

Babylon.

Babylon!

**Babylon!**

Practically every profile pointed to Babylon! Finn closed the folder, his mind running a million questions a minute. Suzy entrusted this information to him, it had to mean something.

And that meant that as much as he'd prefer to leave this to more capable hands, he had to go to Babylon himself.

…

Kurt set down his second cup of coffee on the center table, staring at the stained line inside the mug soberly. He was alone in the living room at the moment, the Berry's having gone into the kitchen to prepare a proper breakfast for the frighteningly haggard Finn. He knew it was ridiculous for three people to prepare breakfast for just one person. They were giving him some time to himself.

He wondered where in his life everything started falling apart.

After discussing it further with the Berry's, they came to the same conclusion. Even if his parents were in their right minds now, going home was out of the question. If Laurence was true to his word, the house would be surrounded by people from Apate, waiting to capture Finn if they so much as got a whiff of him.

No one knocked on the Berry's door yet, so it was a safe bet that no one knew he and Finn were hiding in the obnoxiously cheerful home. They would have to stay here for a few days then move on to another place to avoid detection.

But even a few days was too much considering that Laurence probably knew of Rachel and Finn's relationship. If Finn wasn't home, the next possible suspect would be Rachel.

Kurt sighed and ran a hand through his tired face. He had money saved in the bank for college, hopefully it wouldn't get to the point where he had to use that money to keep them safely hidden.

He hoped they wouldn't be hiding for long.

The cushions beside him sank as Finn joined him, freshly showered and dressed in proper clothes. Kurt turned to give him a smile. With him back in his old jeans and faded plaid flannel shirt, Finn was starting to look a little bit like his old self again; even a ghost of his goofy grin was back.

Then he saw the ornament hanging around the other boy's neck.

Despite his inner fashion guru screaming in horror, Kurt's chest swelled with warmth. "You kept it," he found himself say softly.

Finn flushed in embarrassment. To be honest, having the ornament around his neck kind of made him feel like a pet or something, especially since the ornament was double the average size of a proper pendant. Strangely, he couldn't make himself take it off, so he kept it.

That, and he didn't want to lose it, so having it as a necklace was easier than pocketing it.

Besides, he was still determined to hang it on the Christmas tree once they finally got home.

"Yeah it…it's weird, but it helped me get back home," he said hesitantly, hoping he didn't sound too crazy. He himself thought it was crazy.

"We have a guest room upstairs," Leroy said, entering the living room before Kurt could question what Finn meant. "We…" he exchanged glances with his husband and daughter who entered as well and set down a plate of freshly cooked eggs, French toast, bacon, and a glass of orange juice, "we're not entirely sure what's going on, but we definitely won't bring you back to Apate. And I know it's next to impossible right now to go home, so you're welcome to stay here as long as you want," his eyes softened, "we'll figure something out."

Rachel nodded firmly, "plus we need to find Sam, his parents could be hypnotized to hurt him too if he ever makes it home."

Kurt grimaced, the reminder of his father seconds away from shooting him returning.

Finn tensed beside him. "I-I need to get to Babylon." Everyone turned to him, slightly exasperated. Ever since he arrived at the Berry's he couldn't stop talking about the place. They were starting to think it was another product of his hallucinations, one that Kurt couldn't erase by touch.

"Finn, why are you so set on Babylon?" Rachel asked.

"It's…" he fidgeted in his seat, he hadn't told them about the documents yet, and even though they'd probably put some logic to his desire to go to Babylon, he was scared. Rachel's profile was among those documents. She'd figure everything out and freak. Or worse, she'd probably want to join him on his trek to Babylon too, and he really didn't want to put her in danger. He was already trying to figure out how to convince Kurt to stay behind.

He looked down at the folder on his lap and decided to risk it. He opened it and pulled up the documents of people he knew. Everyone eyed the papers curiously as he handed a few to each of them.

"I don't know why, but everyone keeps telling me to go," he said, picking up the plate of French toast. He avoided mentioning Suzy, remembering the odd looks Kurt had sent him whenever the dead girl's name popped out of his mouth. "I looked through the profiles, and they all have Babylon somewhere in the descriptions, I think it's where the woman responsible is."

"But…" Rachel frowned at her own profile, not liking the big red X over her photograph, nor that she couldn't decipher the language following it. "Where did you get this?"

"I…I finally got in that room that kept all the files on patients," he answered hesitantly. If he explained to them exactly how he got around to getting his hands on this information, they wouldn't let him set one foot out the door. "I was in a hurry so I couldn't get everything."

"How did they get information on me?" Kurt demanded, looked through alien words filling his profile, "or Mike? Or Pucks? We're perfectly fine, there's no reason for us to have any kind of document associated with Apate."

"Unless Apate's responsible for the victims in the first place," Mr. Berry said darkly, frowning at the papers handed to him. "This is the best evidence we've got against Apate but…I'm not even sure the court would listen to us. Not if they didn't even take into consideration that there was something wrong with the place."

Kurt's hopes quickly dashed and he slumped in his seat. "That's right. They've probably been hypnotized like our parents."

"We can still try," Rachel frowned. "We'll knock some sense into them or something."

"You weren't the one who had your own father point a gun at you," Kurt argued bitterly, "what are the chances these people won't either?"

"But…we could…" she opened and closed her mouth, trying to counter but coming up with nothing. "So…so that's it? We can't do anything even if we have the proof we've been looking for?"

No one answered. The unfairness of it all settling in. They really couldn't do anything. After what almost happened to Kurt and Finn, the risk of death was suddenly very real.

Finn tried again, "so you'll let me go to Babylon?"

Rachel shook her head, "That's even riskier than going to the authorities. The institution's going to find out you stole their documents…" her eyes widened in horror, "which means they'll work harder in finding you!"

Kurt's shoulder slumped, there was no avoiding it then, "we can't stay here," Rachel was about to protest, but he cut her off, "coming home was the first logical choice to look for Finn, when they find out he's not there, who's the next person he'd turn to?" Rachel straightened up, realization dawning on her face, somewhere in the back of his head Kurt rolled his eyes at Rachel's inability to realize this danger until now, "the second person who's visited him the most – his girlfriend."

"They can't enter the house without us allowing it," Leroy said, brows knitted in a deep frown, "if they force their way in we can press charges."

"True…" Kurt said uncertainly, "but what if they do? We don't know exactly how powerful Laurence is – _I_ almost got hypnotized through a _phone_."

"Which is why I need to go to Babylon, to stop him," Finn insisted.

Hiram looked at Finn thoughtfully. It was the kind of unreadable stare that made Finn feel as though he said something wrong and was about to get scolded. He'd forgotten how out of place he felt whenever he was around the bespectacled man. He squirmed under the man's gaze guiltily.

"Which Babylon do you mean? There's the ancient city that no longer exists, and then there's – "

He was cut off by a sharp knock at the door. All heads snapped to it in alarm, their hearts skipping a beat. Had they found them already? Kurt peered cautiously at the window behind the Berry's but could find no tell tale black van in the driveway. Rachel stood and signaled them off into the kitchen, getting up herself to answer the door. Finn scrambled around to put away the documents before scurrying off with Kurt, hiding the folder securely under his shirt like he did in his escape.

"You're hiding too," Leroy ordered, ushering her to follow the stepbrother's. Scowling, Rachel hovered by the kitchen with Finn and Kurt, biting her lip as her father opened the door.

At first it looked like the mailman. A very young one. He was in a blue and gray uniform with a large satchel of letters hanging from his shoulders, and a hat with the brim pulled over to keep his face hidden in shadow. Finn's stomach churned in foreboding. He recognized the bits of blond hair that stuck out from the hat, but for some reason he didn't feel comforted.

"Sam!" Rachel rushed out of the kitchen to greet the disguised teen.

At this the blond looked up, puffy lips pulling back in a wide grin. He stumbled back a bit when the other girl threw her arms around him in a tight hug. Kurt joined them, talking rapidly as they brought him inside. Finn hesitantly re-entered the living room, clutching the manila folder close to his chest. Something didn't feel right. It was the strangest feeling, tugging at the back of his head as he looked at his friend. He seemed fine, dorky as ever, he even gave him a tight hug after spotting him.

Maybe it was because the words 'mentally unstable' were ringing in his head.

"You escaped too," he pulled back, blue eyes brimming. Finn gave him a shaky grin, "we're free dude – how'd you get out? Did you do it blindfolded?"

"Uh…you wouldn't believe me if I told you," Finn replied with a shrug.

"And we're not free from Apate yet," Kurt sighed, ushering the two to sit while Rachel's fathers went to the kitchen to get something for Sam, "it's hard to believe, but Laurence Niac's got the parents of every patient hypnotized," he slumped in his seat, voice turning bitter, "we just escaped our parents from trying to kill us."

At this, Sam's high was quickly deflated. "What?"

"He's also got the city officials on his side, at least it's assumed he does," Rachel scowled, planting herself next to Finn and placing a comforting hand on his knee, "it's why we couldn't bring Finn's case to court – no one believes us!"

"That's…I see," Sam muttered, "I had a feeling it was something like that…"

A thoughtful pause settled over them. Finn eyed the blond cautiously. He seemed fine, and he looked genuinely beaten by the news Rachel and Kurt just gave him. What was so off about him then?

Sam looked up at him sharply. For a second his blue eyes flashed with something like knives. Finn flinched in surprise. Before anything could be said, Rachel's parents arrived with a new mug of coffee and a plate of toast and jam. Sam smiled in thanks and took the mug. Finn tried to distract himself by finishing his breakfast which had become cold.

"So, any reason why you're disguised as a mailman?" Mr. Berry asked, sitting down with his husband.

At this, Sam looked down at himself sheepishly, tugging at the blue and gray shirt, "would it be weird if I told you I honestly have no idea?"

The two adults laughed. "After everything we've heard today, not really."

"Cool," he grinned, and there really was something off about the way his lips pulled back in a smile, but didn't quite reach his eyes. Kurt glanced at Finn questioningly when the taller boy shifted closer to him; their sides flush against each other. The move had been subtle, but not enough to Rachel who now cast her boyfriend a hurt look assuming he didn't want to be near her. "So what do we do now?" the blond asked, "I'm guessing it's too risky to go home? I haven't gone yet, so I don't know how my family's doing."

"You're welcome to stay," Rachel said comfortingly, "Finn and Kurt will be staying here as well. Until we figure out what to do without risking our lives you guys are going to have to stay hidden."

"Hmm," Sam nodded, swiveling his coffee, staring at the table thoughtfully. He frowned when he spotted his own profile lying next to the toast and picked it up. "What's…" his eyes widened a margin, undetected by the others who were looking at the table as well. "Where'd you get this?"

Finn looked up and mentally swore, he missed a few papers, "Why?" he asked guardedly, earning odd looks from the others. He cleared his throat uncomfortably, "I found it…it's my proof to shut down Apate."

"But if Laurence has hypnotized the city officials, how do we get them to listen to us?" he slumped his shoulders, staring at his profile, "'mentally unstable'? What does that…maybe we're just safer at Apate."

At this the living room erupted soundly with protests. Sam winced at the uproar.

"I'm just saying," he yelled over all of them, "their methods are questionable, but we've only been there for a few weeks, maybe if we gave them a chance we could get cured…" he squirmed under their bewildered gazes. "Besides wouldn't you be a little willing if your profile says you're crazy?"

"Then why did you escape?" Kurt asked softly, barely able to contain his anger, "you seemed so happy about it a few minutes ago."

Sam smiled sheepishly, "I was stalling."

"Stalling for…" Rachel's words died in her throat as the room darkened suddenly. Finn looked around wildly; the windows had been tainted black somehow, casting the living room in shadow. "What's going on?"

"I'm sorry," Sam mumbled, raising his hand and extending his fingers. Everyone watched as several small black crystals took form over his hand, jolting when they shot towards them, stopping short centimeters from their faces. Rachel yelped in fright. "Don't move, they're like bullets."

"How are you doing that?" Mr. Berry asked shakily, frozen in his seat. There were several crystals surrounding him. Sam stood up, removing his hat and brushing a hand through his hair. A wire slipped into his fingers, unhooking itself from his ear. He walked around the sofa and opened the front door, stepping aside for the people waiting outside to enter.

They watched helplessly as several EMT's entered the living room and surrounded Finn. Kurt grabbed his arm, making sure not to move much lest the crystals blast through his skull.

Laurence Niac, in his spotless black suit and slicked back hair, was the last to enter. He stopped briefly in front of Sam to give him a curt nod. "Mailman?" he muttered with some amusement. Sam shook his head with a shrug. Taking the answer in stride, but still eyeing the blond strangely, Laurence moved on to Finn, a faint smirk on his lips.

"How did you escape?" was his first question.

"You hypnotized _Sam_?" Kurt spat, holding tighter onto his stepbrother as the EMT's inched closer to them.

"Whom I wouldn't have used if you had listened to my instructions," Laurence replied smoothly, eyeing him rather coldly even though he was smiling, "I had to do what I could to return Finn to the safety of Apate, now," he turned back to Finn who quaked under his gaze and looked away, "walking through walls? That couldn't have been done by you alone, could it? Who helped you?"

Though he was trembling, Finn didn't answer. Instead he took Kurt's hand which was starting to bruise his arm.

Laurence stepped back, "take them."

The EMT's instantly caved in on Finn and forced him from his stepbrother. He tried to scream, but one of them covered his mouth and started dragging him to the door. Rachel's screams tore through the house, struggling against her captor's.

"Let me go!" she screamed, twisting and turning, kicking blindly, "DAD! DADDY!"

But her parents didn't bat an eye, sitting still in the same spot, their eyes glazed over under Laurence's control.

"You can't do this!" Kurt yelled, trying to fight off the buff man who had him in an arm lock, "SAM!" he tried to catch his eye, "you can't let them do this to us! We're you're friends!"

"LET ME GO!" Finn screamed, after biting hard at the offending hand covering his mouth, panic up the roof again, he was clawing at the sofa that was on the way to the door, kicking desperately and very aware that if he didn't break free soon, that the EMT's would pull out the sedatives. He was actually vaguely surprised they didn't have them ready as soon as they walked in the door. "PLEASE!"

"SAM WAKE UP DAMNIT!" Kurt cried, "WE'RE YOU'RE FRIENDS!"

"You don't understand," Sam smiled pityingly, "Apate can help us, we just need to give it a chance – I'm practically cured, they found a way for me to control my problem."

"No! No don't take me back there!" Finn begged, completely unaware of his surroundings now. There was no way he'd be able to escape a second time, not even with the help of Suzy, or Peter, or…

Peter?

Why did that name pop up in his head all of the sudden?

"ARRGH!" in his moment of pause, his captor's pulled him roughly and slammed him to the floor. "No!"

Peter, Peter…who was Peter?

He met him a few times, maybe? A patient at Apate? Quiet…red…red haired…

He kicked and punched blindly, hoping he could manage a good hit, even if he was seriously weaker than any of them.

He helped him once. Peter helped him. He had a sister who could help him. Someone…a town…

_'FINN! WHAT WAS MY POWER?'_

Pain shot through Finn's head like a wildfire. He screamed, struggling harder and clutching at his head. It felt like a giant fist was tightening around his skull, gripping harder and harder to the point where it felt like his skull was going to shatter. Finn barely had any room to think.

Power? What power?

Walls…ghost…felt…felt like nothing…

Suddenly the hands on his body were gone. He rolled away and stumbled to his feet. Blinking away the dots covering his vision.

"Good," he could hear Laurence's muffled voice through his ringing ears. "Do it."

"Finn run!" Kurt yelled, his face pressed against the center table. Finn, disoriented from the pain in his head, stepped back, but stumbled. The pain was starting to ebb away, but now he felt like slush. As if he put his body through something it wasn't meant to go through, and it was really starting to make him feel sick.

He tried to move again when the EMT's tried to make a grab for him, and fell over the sofa awkwardly, his arm knocking over a bag of envelopes. The bag Sam had come in with his disguise.

Someone screamed in pain, but from all the screams going on in the house, Finn couldn't tell who it came from, or if it came from him. He sluggishly moved to sit up, but fell to the floor when something sharp stabbed his hand.

Rolling to his knee he looked at the source, but could only find the envelopes which were now spilled all over the floor.

Some were standing pin straight, their corners lodged into the carpet like knives.

These weren't regular envelopes.

Acting on instinct, Finn grabbed a bunch of them just as arms wrapped around his neck and pulled him back. Choking under the grip, Finn made a stab at the arm and received a cry right against his ear followed by something spurting against his cheek and the arms around him loosening. He pulled himself up and held the envelopes threateningly.

"Finn, there's no need to resist, we're trying to help you," Laurence's soothing voice made its way to his ears.

He turned to the young man and threw an envelope at him as hard as he could.

Just his luck that Laurence caught it.

"Finn…"

He looked down at Kurt, who was sheet white and no longer able to fight one of the men pinning him down. It was like a bucket of cold water was doused over him. He lunged for the big man holding Kurt and stabbed him as hard as he could, managing to push him off and pull his stepbrother away.

"You will not leave," Laurence commanded, grabbing his shoulder.

Another cry peeled through the house. The windows exploded, pieces of glass shooting everywhere. The envelopes lying on the floor flew around as if caught in a strong gust of wind. Laurence let go of Finn to protect himself, ducking under the rain of glass shards and paper. Grunting in pain, Finn hauled Kurt out of the house while everyone was distracted. He tried to find Rachel, but she was no longer in the house. He could see Sam crumpled on the floor, holding his head in terrible pain. The screams were coming from him.

He wanted to save him. He was the only other person who truly understood the misery of being locked in a cage without the comfort of a parent. Even before that he could see a lot of himself in the blond, they were like mirror versions of each other. Like brothers.

He wanted to save Rachel too. She was the only person aside from Kurt who ever visited him. She loved him. She was special to him.

But Laurence and his team could only be distracted for so long. By the time he'd make a grab for either Sam or Rachel, they'd make a grab for him again and this time they'd probably have the sedatives out and ready.

"I'm sorry," he sobbed, holding Kurt against him as he ran as hard as he could to the Navigator, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

"Finn?" Kurt mumbled, looking around dazedly as Finn threw him in the passenger seat and pulled his car keys from his pocket. "What're you…Rachel…we have to…save…Rachel…" his head lolled to the side, no longer strong enough to fight the sedative.

Finn shoved the keys in the wheel and turned on the ignition. By the time Laurence made it to the front door, Finn hit the gas and sped down the street as fast as he could, tires screaming in protest.

Struggling to contain his anger, Laurence returned to the living room where a nurse was finishing an injection on the unconscious Sam. The hurricane of glass and paper finally stopped, leaving the house in destruction. Hiram and Leroy were luckily only scratched up in a few places, but still under Laurence's spell.

The hypnotist scowled at his whimpering team. "Follow them," he hissed at the few less injured men. Unable to say no, they hurried out the house. He then turned to the nurse still taking care of Sam. "This is why I said _five_!"

"Sir, the dosage is too high," the woman argued, "it's true that he's strong, but we're putting him at risk – he's still a _kid –_ "

"I said five!" his whole body was shaking. The nurse flinched, dropping the empty syringe in her hand. Taking a deep breath, Laurence forced himself to relax; it had been a long time since he lost his cool. "Five," he repeated quietly, "he's not the only one at risk," he looked around at the mess of glass and ripped paper littering the room. He recognized a few of undamaged papers as documents to Apate. Profiles of targets.

There was no use avoiding it.

"The Head will hear of what happened by now," he sighed to himself, smoothing his hair back, "get all teams on alert, we're taking every patient in the country."

"Every…" the nurse's eyes widened.

Laurence turned to her, lips pulled back in a snake like grin, "for security measures."

…

Speeding down the streets and hopping on the highway, Finn's grip on the wheel loosened somewhat. There was no use staying in Ohio so long as Laurence was still around. He didn't know where he was going or if he was going the wrong way.

But he had to do something, and unless he got as far away as possible from Apate, there'd be no hope in ridding himself of the institution.

He looked over to the sleeping Kurt, guiltily glad it was him and not Rachel or Sam in that seat. Kurt would make traveling easier without the fear of seeing monsters. He'd always been by his side up to now, and as romantic as it could have been if Rachel was in his place, Rachel could never erase the hallucinations he suffered from, she'd only become a monster herself.

Of course, now Rachel was at the mercy of Laurence Niac.

Finn shook his head roughly, he couldn't think about that. He was going to save her. He was going to Babylon.

He was going to save everyone.


	14. Panic and Pollen 162+

…

Chapter Fourteen

Panic and Pollen 162+

…

The sound of raspy wheezes in the distance were what greeted her when she felt herself float from unconsciousness. Her throat felt painfully tight and cold, as if she'd spent the entire night sleeping in the cold surrounded by dust. Her eyes were heavy in the sense that she was sure they were red rimmed and possibly bruised. Her entire body was freezing, skin brushing against very stiff and rough fabric that couldn't possibly be her pajamas. The bed she was lying on felt more like a plastic board than anything fluffy. The sanitized smell of wherever she was, burning in her nostrils.

The light against her eyelids that had awoken her demanded her reluctant attention. She opened her eyes and was faced with a white tiled ceiling.

This wasn't her bedroom.

The wheezing was coming from her.

She felt so weak she could barely move a muscle. She swallowed thickly, her throat tightening hungrily at the contact of hot saliva. She coughed to get the irritating lump out, but it remained.

She eyed the small white room she found herself in. A small, strangely familiar desk by a strangely familiar barred window. She recognized the stale décor, and forced herself to sit up, squeezing her eyes shut from the effort. Whatever had been done to her, it was done very well, her sense of balance was warped. As soon as she managed to sit up, she immediately tipped to the side, almost falling off the bed. Her dark hair fluttered over her face from the movement, but she didn't have the energy to brush it away. She stayed hunched over on her side, taking careful breaths as she tried to get her bearings.

She wasn't sure what she was doing here, but she needed to get out. She needed to get home and…

What…what was it that she had waiting at home? Something important. Something…

She shut her eyes tightly again and tried to remember. It was easier to keep her eyes shut and think clearly than have the room spinning when they were open.

Someone was at her house. Someone she needed to help. He was very important to her.

He…

Finn…

Finn!

"Oh god," she whispered, images of fighting off paramedics flooding back to the surface. "Oh god," she trembled.

The thunder of a heavy door opening made her flinch and look up. A male nurse entered with a trolley full of bottles and little tools that didn't make her feel any sense of security.

"Good morning, Rachel," the nurse said cheerfully, dimples dotting both his cheeks as he put on blue rubber gloves, "I'm Eric, I'll be one of your nurses during your stay here."

"There's…there's been a mistake," Rachel rasped, shaking her head as she watched the brunet prepare a syringe, "I don't belong here. I'm perfectly healthy – "

"We're just taking precaution," Eric cut in gently, piercing a little bottle of clear liquid. Rachel was already inching away from him, eyeing the open door behind him longingly, and let out a little squeal when he grabbed her arm and rubbed an alcohol soaked cotton ball on a big vein just above her forearm. "Don't be scared it's just a sedative, we just need to go through a few tests and then you'll be sent back home."

"My parents – "

"Have already given us the okay," he took her arm again, more to keep her from crawling away from him again. "It's for your own good, I promise."

"No, please," she begged weakly, pulling at his hand, "let me go, I want to go home, please let me go – "

A cry ripped from her throat as the needle pierced into her skin. She could feel the clear liquid pump into her veins and spread like little claws of burning hell through her system. She fell back against the plastic bed, mouth agape in silent agony, body shuddering almost violently.

All throughout she could only think of one thing.

Eric had lied. This wasn't a sedative. What the hell did he give her?

…

When Kurt stirred himself awake, it was to the uncomfortable ache in his neck, the steady vibrations of his seat, the low rumbling of a very familiar engine, and a warm hand gently holding his.

Someone was driving his baby, and it wasn't him.

Whoever it was, was going to die.

He opened his eyes and saw bare snow clumped trees washing by outside his window, cars zooming by at a speed that was only sensible in…

Highways.

Now fully awake, Kurt spun around in his seat to face the driver and gaped.

Finn gave him a glance before slouching in his seat looking sheepish, his grip on the wheel tightened.

"Kurt," he said, trying and failing to sound innocent, "you're awake."

"Where the hell are we going?" Kurt demanded softly.

"Uh…"

"Finn...why are you driving _my_ car?"

"Um…" he worried his lip nervously, Kurt continued to watch him calmly, making Finn squirm in his seat, "there was nothing I could do," he blurted, "they had us surrounded, I had them distracted for one second, so I made a break for it – please don't hate me for it, man, I really don't want to go back there, I just barely escaped once!"

"What about Rachel?" Kurt asked quietly, the slight tremor giving away his scarcely contained fury, "what about her parents? And Sam?"

Finn's face dropped in regret, "there really wasn't anything I could do," he repeated more soberly, "by the time I grabbed you, they already took her away, I wanted to save her, I wanted to save everyone, but there was too much going on. We were surrounded, I just acted on instinct."

Kurt stared at the road ahead walled in by trees. So much for hoping to never use his college funds for pit stops. "What are they going to do to her?"

Finn shrugged, "question her I guess? Technically she's not crazy like me, so there shouldn't be any need for them to keep her as a patient." Kurt winced at how casually his stepbrother labeled himself as crazy. "They…can't do anything too bad to her right?"

Kurt thought back to the documents Finn showed him, and the bewilderment they shared when they were handed their own alien coded profiles. If Apate had information on Rachel, and they really were responsible for whatever was going on with the victims of the suicide epidemic, then Apate was going to do more than question Rachel.

They would probably make her a victim too.

But he couldn't add that to Finn's growing pile of emotional stress.

"Well, she's not a victim is she?" he said instead, "and she can take care of herself."

Finn nodded, "right."

Both didn't believe themselves. They fell into a tense silence for a few minutes until Kurt took notice of Finn glancing at his mirrors a little too often.

"Are we being followed?" he asked, unable to resist looking back for any black vans.

"We were," Finn admitted, "I've been driving for a while, I lost them after switching routes, but it doesn't hurt to keep checking."

Kurt took a deep breath as he nodded. Okay. He had to keep calm. They were running away with no real destination, and no one to help them but themselves. There was no knowing how long this escapade was going to be, and by the end of it he'd probably have a face full of blackheads, blemishes, and all the wonderful hygienic faults that came with being a teenager seeing as he left all his creams and cleansers at home.

He was definitely going to murder Finn by the end of this. Right after putting Laurence Niac through a slow and torturous death, of course.

But he had to stay calm for now. See the bright side of things. He was taking a road trip alone with Finn, that was nice. The only consequence was his friend suffering at the hands of Apate, but if they made the trip fast, she wouldn't have to suffer for long, right? Right. Besides, Finn wanted to go to Babylon, and now he was getting his wish. It was going to cost him gas money, and random expenses for snacks and motels, but that was okay, because they were going to _Babylon_ , the stupid city that housed the woman responsible for the epidemic and possibly even more people like Laurence.

Yes. Everything was going to be fine.

"So…" his voice shook slightly with ill contained anger, he cleared his throat again, "any specific place you have in mind? Or is it just Babylon or bust?"

Finn winced, he recognized that tone. "Actually…I've been kind of driving in circles…I don't…well…"

"Finn?" Kurt cut in sweetly, "how much gas do we have?"

"It's…almost empty?" he shrank in his seat, waiting for the impending blow up. It didn't happen, and that just made things more terrifying. "I'm…sorry…"

Kurt huffed and rubbed his eyes. "Right," he checked his watch, it read two in the afternoon. Just at that moment his stomach chose to growl. So he'd been knocked out for more than a few hours and his last meal was breakfast at around eight in the morning, perfect. Finn was probably starving worse than him.

And he'd been driving this whole time. Without getting a wink of sleep.

Kurt looked ahead for any signs, spying a few exits and speed limits, and…

An exit to _Mansfield, Ohio?_

Kurt's right eye twitched. Mansfield wasn't so far from Lima that it would take almost _seven freaking hours_ to get there. Exactly what kind of zigzag driving was Finn doing while he'd been out?

"Take the next exit," he gave a long suffering sigh, "you're so lucky I brought my wallet," he grabbed his messenger bag sitting between them, silently grateful that he never took it out of the car when they went to Rachel's house.

Finn relaxed somewhat. This was a Kurt he could deal with. He gave him a lopsided smile and took the exit.

…

Six rows of vials sat neatly in the steel box, clear liquid glittering against the sunlight. Nurse Jackie stared at them vacantly. One of the vials was empty, its contents already leaving the system of the blond boy lying curled in the corner of their small motel room.

Pollen 162.

Or an advanced version of it.

Sucking in a shaky breath, Jackie picked up a full vial, looking at the label but not really seeing it.

With the new orders sent out throughout the country, Laurence had become a busy man. According to him, he had no time to go on a wild goose chase after an escaped patient and his brother. So the job was handed down to her. She had no idea why. Her profession lied in medicine, she knew nothing about going after two kids who would probably make her life hell in trying to capture them.

This was all just so the Pollen could be tested out.

Jackie set the vial on the small tray; she then ripped open a fresh needle and went about preparing a syringe.

Laurence's hypnotism was powerful, but not enough to stretch long distances. No one but Jackie knew this. It was probably another reason why he chose her. It was also probably why he never used his ability on her. She supposed she'd have to thank their childhood friendship for that.

Because Laurence's power weakened if his subjects went out of his mental reach, he went into developing a more powerful Pollen to make up for that distance. Jackie scoffed, tapping the syringe and holding it up against the light. It was only supposed to be a fleeting idea to toy around with. Testing it was never an option.

She turned to face the trembling teen, a part of her twisting in guilt at what she was about to do.

"Sam," she said gently, kneeling next to him. He jumped at her voice, bloodshot eyes looking up fearfully. As soon as he saw the syringe in her hand he quickly threw his arm out for her, eyes begging her to go on and do it. She wanted to toss the offending syringe out the window.

Instead she rubbed the abused skin with a cotton ball, wrapped a rubber band around his arm, and pierced the bulging vein in one shot.

Sam shuddered and whimpered, falling back against the floor. Jackie watched helplessly as the boy continued writhing, slowly coming down into faint shivers. He sat up gingerly, the pained expression from before wiped clean from his pale face. Jackie forced him to look at her.

One eye was blue. The other was black.

It worked. Again.

Jackie pushed him away in self disgust. She hurriedly packed away the vials and grabbed her small suitcase. Sam remained on the floor, pacified by the new Pollen. Jackie pointedly kept her eyes from him. She couldn't fall into the dangerous waters of sympathy again. It was easier to hold her tongue at the institution where there were dozens of other patients to look after. But assigning her to only one was going to test her resilience.

And it didn't help that this boy had some serious puppy eyes.

This was a jab. She knew it. After protesting the increase in dosages of an already powerful drug, this was definitely punishment. Laurence was probably laughing in his throne right now. Son of a bitch.

"Let's go," she called, already heading out the door.

…

When Rachel assured her that they'd find a doctor for her, she didn't expect it to be so…unique.

In order to hide her therapy sessions from her parents, Mercedes had been taking a few trips with friends to 'the mall' when really they were going to different spots around town to meet with Dr. Hope. Mercedes didn't think much of the name, other than it gave her some small hope that everything would be okay.

Then she met the man, a frail pale young man with too big glasses, very 1940's attire, and a funny looking peacock feather lodged behind his ear. Mercedes was under the impression that a gust of wind would blow the poor man away.

That is until he spoke and ran around the room like a kid on crack.

Which was what he was doing now, looking through the wall of bookcases surrounding his home while Mercedes relaxed in one of the mismatched chairs decorating his office. This was the second time she had entered her therapist's home since their sessions started. The place was a pigsty. She was sure Quinn was trying hard not to come in contact with anything in the other room, and with the books and random gizmo's cluttered everywhere, Mercedes could imagine the blonde was feeling trapped. She wondered if maybe she should have sent her off to wander around the mall or something until today's session was over.

Rachel was supposed to accompany her today, but she wasn't answering her phone so Quinn was the only other option. Kurt wasn't answering his phone either.

The therapy was working though, so she couldn't complain about the mess or the secret meetings around town.

She could still see instances of the black and white clown, but they had become more distant and less terrifying. The hunger for blood was gone from his eyes, now he simply looked like the make-up on his face. Sad.

She wasn't sure what that meant, but it didn't occupy her mind as much as the new discovery she and Dr. Hope stumbled upon.

"You're family has no history on this kind of…how shall I put this," Dr. Hope tapped his chin excitedly, "genetic mutation?" Mercedes wrinkled her nose, "evolution? Of course…there could always be something funky in the water…you could have made contact with some kind of gas or substance that somehow changed your DNA into giving you this unique ability."

Mercedes arched an eyebrow, "or maybe I'm just an awesome singer," she deadpanned.

"Whatever the case, as much as I'd love to delve into this mystery, I don't have the resources to even get an inkling of how this amazing ability came to fruition," he crossed his arms, actually pouting. Even his peacock feather seemed to droop in disappointment.

"Hold on a second, I can't afford to find anyone else," Mercedes stood up in alarm, almost knocking the chair to the floor, "I'm still seeing things, why don't we just concentrate on that?"

Dr. Hope paced around the room, "sending you to Apate would be the only answer – they have the resources and they're nearby," Mercedes's face fell, "but I know you don't want to go there, and with your friends backing you up I'm starting to think that place is probably not best either…" he adjusted his huge glasses which were sliding down his nose. "And you have been improving since I first saw you…" he snapped his fingers, a huge grin lighting up his face, "I have a friend in New York who's studying genetics! With your parent's permission we could…" his face fell again, Mercedes sank back in her chair, "that's right, they don't…I could call her over but she's so busy and – "

Both jumped at the sound of the front door slamming open. There was the thundering of several people rushing into the living room accompanied by a terrified scream from Quinn. Mercedes made to go see what was happening, but Dr. Hope held her back and grabbed a crooked golf club perched by one of the many books piled on the tables. He silently slinked towards the door, but before he got there, a large man in white grabbed him by the neck and shoved him against his book case.

Too scared to scream, Mercedes stumbled to her feet and backed away as more men hurried in. Just as they approached her, a thin man dressed in black entered and approached the choking Dr. Hope.

"Hello, doctor, I'm Laurence Niac a representative of Apate. We are not here to harm you," he said soothingly, "we came upon your call to apprehend the two girls, whom you've never met, who broke into your home and tried to rob you." Dr. Hope coughed under the EMT's grip, weakening and feeling disoriented. The golf club clattered to the floor.

Mercedes clammed up at the name Laurence Niac. It was happening. Everything she was afraid of was happening. They were going to lock her away, and erase her from her parents memories. She'd have no one to help her, no friends or family, no one!

She had to do something. She knew what to do, but the last time it happened it was by accident, and then right after she felt sick to her stomach.

The EMT's held her down, forcing her to kneel.

This couldn't be happening!

Shutting her eyes tight and praying for it to work, Mercedes screamed at the top of her lungs.

Instead of a normal cry peeling painfully out of her throat, she felt the walls in her throat open up and ripple serenely like waves. Her scream was not a scream, but one ear busting siren so high pitched that it sent the men holding her into screaming and doubling over, covering their bleeding ears. She could hear the windows shatter from the powerful shockwaves coming from her siren.

She looked up and could see the others, even Laurence, crouched on of the floor and covering their ears.

The only one standing was Dr. Hope. He was wearing ear plugs. Mercedes wondered exactly when he put them on, but from the relieved look on his face, she knew that he did it on a whim. He had a habit of doing that.

"Keep screaming!" he yelled at her, taking her arm and running out of his office. In the living room, the found other paramedics cowering on the floor, Quinn among them. Dr. Hope grabbed her too with tremendous strength and they stumbled out of his house into the street where a few unfortunate people were writhing in pain from Mercedes's siren.

She couldn't hold on anymore. The nausea in her stomach making her crouch in pain. Her siren died away, but Dr. Hope kept her moving, directing both girls to his old beat up Ford. Mercedes was thankful she didn't eat anything before coming to see the therapist, otherwise his car would be smelling worse than it already was. She rolled down the window to get fresh air as Dr. Hope pulled out of the driveway and raced down the street.

"Mercedes…"

She looked to Quinn. She was sitting awkwardly in her seat, hair thrown over her face. She looked two seconds from passing out, but otherwise she seemed okay. Mercedes took her hand worriedly.

"Sorry, Q," she mumbled, knowing her friend's ears were ringing madly. Quinn mumbled something she couldn't catch, then slumped against the window, her hair brushing aside in the movement to show a bit of her pale neck where there was an angry red dot. She had been sedated before Mercedes had gotten to her.

"Okay," Dr. Hope said, voice trembling, "Apate is definitely out of the question, I'm taking you to New York personally. And while we're at it," he fumbled around his pockets and pulled out an old scratched up Nokia cell. "I'm calling my lawyer."

"What about Quinn?" Mercedes asked, knowing Mrs. Fabray would protest about her daughter taking a trip to New York without her permission, "and my parents?"

Dr. Hope paused hesitantly, "Do you think those people are waiting at your house if I go there now?"

Mercedes almost huffed in frustration. Sometimes the man could sound like such an uncertain child, it was no wonder why he couldn't afford anything halfway decent, or why he came so cheap.

But he had a point. If Apate found her at her therapist's house when no one but friends should have known about the location, then going home was even more dangerous.

Someone tipped Laurence off.

As much as she wanted to tear up the snitch, she knew the damage was done.

If they knew about Dr. Hope's house, specifically going for her. Then they probably knew about her friends homes, meaning it wasn't safe for to drop off Quinn either.

Shit.

"Never mind, just drive."

…

_They were walking down an empty road. What would have been a busy highway was quiet. Desolate. Dead. It was just the two of them._

_He couldn't remember what happened. One minute the day was sunny; warm with spring revival. The trees sang in the wind, the clock was ticking closer to the end of school, and he was tapping his foot impatiently, looking longingly out into the street, making plans on what to do once he got home._

_Probably eat some microwave pizza._

_All he did was blink and the surroundings vanished. He wasn't sitting, he was standing._

_In an empty road._

_Far away from Lima._

_"I'm not leaving you," his companion whispered beside him, taking his hand in his. He looked down at the brunet, and to their clasped hands. A warmth filling him and washing away the fear of loneliness. Kurt looked up at him and offered a small smile. Blue eyes sparkling in the dim light._

_Special._

_It was the first word that came to Finn's mind when he looked at the other boy._

_"His sister can help you."_

_He whipped his head around and came face to face with an old friend. He was dressed in the familiar letterman jacket, the red M glaring back at him. The lopsided grin filled him with nostalgia. He knew this person._

_"Matt?" Finn breathed._

_"Ella's her name," his old friend said, voice echoing into the emptiness surrounding them. He looked at Finn meaningfully. "She can help you gather everyone."_

_"Ev…everyone?"_

_"The only thing to come out of the Box is misery," Kurt spoke up, not speaking to anyone._

_"Follow the White Rabbit," Matt's voice swam in his head. Finn stumbled._

_"We'll find everyone."_

_"She's an extension of that woman."_

_"She's the Initial Symptom."_

_"Must get to Babylon."_

_"Babylon."_

_"Babylon…"_

…

"…bylon…Babyl…lon…"

He jumped in surprise at the hand shaking his shoulder. Squeezing his eyes shut, he rubbed them, out of balance with his surroundings. He was lying on a stiff bed, dirty taupe walls, and a cold as hell bedroom. Finn blinked the fuzziness from his eyes and focused on the person leaning over him, brows knitted in worry.

"You had a nightmare," Kurt said quietly, backing away as his stepbrother sat up with a groan. He looked around again. Two beds, a small door to the bathroom. Everything was dark save for the faint light coming from the lamp at the bedside table.

The motel.

Finn sighed and wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. They were still in Mansfield. He remembered now. After getting gas,. and grabbing a few snacks, they found this place and rested for a bit. Kurt was less than pleased to be taking out cash far beyond his comfort levels, and as much as Finn apologized and worried over using Kurt's money like this, it didn't stop him from falling asleep as soon as he hit the bed.

He didn't realize how exhausted he was. It had only been the afternoon when they arrived at the motel, now it was well into the evening.

"I-I…" he rubbed his eyes, still seeing the image of Matt standing in the middle of the street talking to him. "Nightmare."

"You were moaning and talking in your sleep," Kurt shrugged nonchalantly, the look in his eyes unable to hide his concern, "it looked like you were having a nightmare."

Nodding, Finn made to get up, but winced when an aching in his neck held him back. He reached back and rubbed at the soreness. "It wasn't really a nightmare…it was…weird." He rolled his neck experimentally, feeling the ache subside a little, "I've been getting a lot of weird dreams lately."

"You kept repeating Babylon."

He looked at Kurt in surprise, finally seeing that he was a picture of chaos with his hair in disarray, his shirt all wrinkled, he was pale as paper, years added onto his haggard face. The guilt of drawing him into his problems resurfaced. Kurt didn't deserve this. The countertenor rolled out of his bed and trudged over to his own which had the documents strewn all over it. Finn looked up at his stepbrother curiously.

"I…I'm not a detective or anything," he said softly, gathering the papers, "but I wanted to see for myself…" he bit his lip briefly, as if he didn't want to admit defeat, "and you're right. Babylon's everywhere."

"Kurt – "

"I know that place is important – that she's there and if we stop her it'll all be over," he turned back to Finn, eyes shining with tears, "but I don't want you to get hurt. They locked you away…they…" he snorted bitterly, "they've got the government on their side. From what I can tell from these documents. They really are responsible for the illnesses…the…suicides," his voice twisted in disgust. "You're an experiment, Finn."

Finn clenched the thin bed sheets that had done nothing to keep him warm. At the back of his mind he wondered why a motel would put on the AC in the middle of winter. He watched Kurt as he looked over the piles of papers, trying again to think of a way to let him stay behind while he trekked on for Babylon. He couldn't put Kurt through this, it would risk putting him in danger too.

"Was your dream special?"

Finn blinked. The word 'special' echoing in his head. "Wh-what?"

Kurt shrugged, holding up Finn's profile, "after Laurence hypnotized my dad, I'll believe anything. Your profile says you're a Dream Wanderer, I'm assuming your dreams are special…meaningful. More than ordinary."

Meaningful?

Special?

It was true that his nightmares would become his reality. The clown was a perfect example of that. Suzy had been helping him in his dreams, but this dream was strange. Neither Suzy nor the clown presented themselves. Not even Alice. Of course, there was that one dream where it was just him and Kurt driving through traffic.

Which struck him.

The only constant was Kurt. So far it seemed as if he was always dreaming of him. Always.

Kurt squirmed under Finn's intense gaze. The paper crinkling loudly as he hesitantly lowered it. Clearing his throat, he tore his eyes away from his stepbrother and gathered up the papers. It was two in the morning; he knew he needed to get some sleep if he wanted to leave Mansfield as soon as possible.

"Is it weird that I dream of my brother all the time and not…not anyone else, like my girlfriend?"

Kurt's face turned red, keeping his head ducked, he put the papers in a neat pile and put them in the folder. What the hell kind of question was that? "I don't know…I'm one of the closest people in your life. I can take away your hallucinations – which by the way, I still don't get. Maybe you see me as a…savior?" even on his tongue it didn't sound right. Finn didn't reply immediately, so he busied himself with getting an old shirt from his bag and throwing it on the bed to lie on. Screw the cold, there was no way he was getting under old motel sheets, who knew what made contact with them.

"In my dream, you said you'd weren't going to leave me," Finn said softly, the sound of his voice sending goosebumps over Kurt's skin. "Matt was there too. You guys were saying some weird stuff…follow the white rabbit. Um…something about someone named Ella."

"Maybe it was just a regular dream," Kurt's voice sounded funny. He couldn't help it. Finn had dreams of him? His romantic side was going into a frenzy.

But no, he couldn't go all romantic about this. They were running away from a freaky organization, looking for a fictitious city in hopes of stopping the epidemic and finding a cure to Finn's illness. There was nothing romantic about that.

And Finn had a girlfriend, so romance was really out of the question.

The lamp was clicked off, swarming the room in darkness. Kurt turned to his side, away from Finn, his heart beating wildly against his chest. He stared at the window, the pale curtains fluttering slightly against the AC. He had tried several times to get the ancient thermometer to work, but the stupid rusty thing broke on him. The front desk made no move to help either. The asshole.

Curling in on himself, Kurt tried to sleep. He had no idea where they would be going, but he sure as hell wasn't going to let Finn drive again.

He snapped his eyes open at the feel of the mattress sinking, and a warm body lying down in front of him.

Finn stared back at him, dark eyes glinting in the small bit of light coming from the window. Kurt held his breath, unsure if he should kick him off or say something.

"You don't have to come with me," Finn whispered, hot breath ghosting over the tip of Kurt's cold nose.

He swallowed thickly, "I'm not leaving you," he said firmly. Something flashed in Finn's eyes. Before Kurt had time to think about it, the taller teen wrapped an arm around his waist and pulled him close. He couldn't stop the small gasp from passing his lips.

Close. So close.

He could feel his heat radiating off him, more comforting than any blanket in the world.

"It's freezing," Finn said simply, "might as well huddle to keep warm."

Oh.

Kurt looked down at Finn's chest, his collarbone peeking out of the neckline of his shirt. He'd never been more tempted than now to dive in and run his tongue over that spot. His mouth went dry.

"It's weird," Finn spoke up again, his hands unconsciously trailing up and down Kurt's back. The smaller boy shivered. Eyes fluttering shut. Was this really happening? "In that dream when I saw you, the first thing that popped up in my head was 'Special'."

Kurt fought to keep his breathing in check. "S…Special," he whispered uncertainly, voice squeaking.

"Yeah…" he frowned thoughtfully, "I've noticed…the whole time I was in Apate all I could think of was you coming to see me again."

That was definitely not the right thing to say, now Kurt had more imagery to go by, "really?" he accidentally squeaked again.

"Yeah, I mean I thought of Rachel, but not as much, she's…I mean, I wouldn't be surprised if she broke up with me after what I did to her," Finn grimaced, the guilt of hurting her still fresh. "I'm…afraid of even touching her now. Every time I hug her, I feel happy at first, but then I sometimes start thinking about what I did and – "

"It wasn't your fault," Kurt wrapped a comforting arm around Finn's waist, "she understands, she…she loves you."

"I just…" Finn held him more closely, nuzzling his nose into Kurt's unkempt hair. He smelled of strawberries, igniting memories of the day he came home pissed off that his favorite shampoo was out of stock so he had to fall back on the next best thing. Kurt may have not liked the shampoo, but Finn did, it made him think of hot summer days and sitting on the back porch enjoying a basket of strawberries while watching the sunset. It was such a specific imagery that he couldn't explain nor replicate it whenever Rachel or anyone else smelled of strawberries.

And once again the thought of his girlfriend sent him back to the day he woke up to her in bandages. It was both a blessing and a curse that he still couldn't remember exactly how he hurt her.

"I ruined everything for us," he said softly, unsure if Kurt's even breathing meant he fell asleep, he still seemed pretty tense in his arms, "I don't want to hurt her anymore…I think I have to break up with her."

"Finn…" Oh so he was awake.

"I haven't seen her as much, but as much as I missed her. I've missed you more."

Now Kurt had gone completely rigid. "Wh-what are you trying to say?"

Finn's brows knitted in confusion. What _was_ he trying to say?

"I don't know," he whispered honestly, new questions bursting into his exhausted brain. "L-Let's just get some sleep."

…

Down an alley two blocks from the motel, a strange windy bang sounded off within the shadows, startling a stray cat to scurry away, yowling in fright. What seconds ago would have been empty space now occupied a young man dressed completely in black.

He looked at his surroundings only to double over the next second and empty his stomach contents by a pile of broken beer bottles. His whole body was in pain, muscles seizing in protest, nerves rustling in panic. By now it had become a familiar feeling whenever he risked using his ability.

An ability he never asked for, nor had any right to have.

Scowling at the yellow goop splashed over the floor, he wiped his mouth and took a minute to wait out the pain that was slowly leaving him in rippling waves. If he had known earlier, he would have taken a train or something to get to Mansfield. He hated using his ability.

Unfortunately, this was an emergency. Time wasn't on his side.

Letting out a shaky sigh, he stumbled out of the shadows and into the streetlight.

Matt looked at his watch and grimaced, "fuck my life."


	15. Experimentations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Matt comes into play.

 

…

Chapter 15: Experimentations

…

They were in the empty town again; standing in a dark road littered with scraps of paper and used plastic cups. The sky was restless, black clouds twisting and rolling within themselves though they didn't give up a drop of rain or a ray of lightening. Around them stood empty buildings and a gas station of a once peaceful town. Ahead of them, where the road went on and on, there was only darkness.

He squeezed his partner's hand, a tremor of fear rushing through him.

Kurt turned to him and offered a comforting smile.

Finally a flash of lightening clawed across the sky and suddenly he was standing in front of familiar faces.

Suzy was still gray as ever, but not as nearly rotted out as before. Next to her stood Alan. The boy he visited in Apate, and who had claimed to have been saved by him.

"Mansfield…Akron…Youngstown…" the small fourteen year old said aloud, "Pittsburgh…Harrisburg – " he paused, face twisted in concentration. Finn couldn't understand what he was trying to say. Some of what he said sounded recognizable, but it was like picking at a blurred memory amongst a sea of memories. "M-Mansfield…Akron…"

"I don't…I don't understand," Finn shook his head, looking to Suzy for elaboration.

She smiled sadly, the gesture livening up her dead face somewhat. Finn had a sense of immense loneliness wash over him and suddenly he feared he'd never see her again.

"I don't have much time," she whispered, her voice carrying out like a gust of wind. She seemed small and frail, like a breeze would blow her away. Before Finn could blink, she was gone.

Alan grabbed him by the front of his shirt, panic written over his face as he kept repeating the names like a mantra, a steady boom following each name.

"Mansfield! Akron! Youngstown! Pittsburgh! Harrisburg! – "

Boom! Boom! Boom!

…

He opened his eyes with a quiet gasp. He felt dizzy and for a panicked moment, had no idea where he was and what was up or down. He could see a mop of brown hair touched gold in the sunlight, and the uncomfortable coldness blanketing him mercilessly.

Rolling onto his back, Finn looked around blearily and realized he wasn't in his bedroom, nor was he in his cell in Apate. The place was cracked and yellow with age. It smelled funny and from what he could see from the only window in the room, it was midday.

The motel room.

They were in Mansfield.

Why?

As he sat up, cracking a few cricks on his back, memories of his escape flooded back. He had gone home only to run off to Rachel's when Laurence caught up with him, and then escape from there when the hypnotist caught them again. Now that he had time to sit and think about it, it was hard to believe all of that happened in the course of a day.

Unfortunately, now he had no idea where to go from here. Finding Babylon would be like searching for Santa Claus's home at the North Pole.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Finn jumped and stared at the door. Kurt stirred, blinking and turning to his side, only to stop short and look around in alarm. It was only when he spotted Finn that he relaxed.

"Morn – " he paled when the knocking on the door cut him off. Both stepbrothers looked at each other fearfully, the same thought running through their minds.

Laurence found them.

"We should jump out the window," Finn muttered, slipping quietly out of bed and grabbing the few things they brought with them. They were on the first floor, and to their luck, the window faced the parking lot. Nodding, Kurt crept as quietly and quickly as possible with Finn to the window, grabbing his sneakers on the way.

Praying that the old window wouldn't creak, Finn flipped the locks and pulled on the edge.

"Finn? Kurt?" both teens froze. "It's me, Matt!"

Kurt eyed the door skeptically. He exchanged unsure glances with Finn, "is that really Matt?" he whispered, both of them not sure if they should answer the door, or jump through the window.

"Guys I know you're there," Matt's muffled voice continued, "I know you're scared and I don't blame you if you don't believe me."

Kurt and Finn remained quiet, they rarely heard Matt talk in the year he was with them in glee club, but the tone sort of matched. They wanted to ask him to say or do something to prove himself, but then if it was a trap, and they revealed themselves, they'd take Finn away again.

"What do we do?" Kurt whispered, getting an uncertain head shake from Finn.

"I know what's happened," Matt went on, "they took you away and you managed to escape," he was talking to Finn now, "they did the same thing to me. And Suzy."

Finn stiffened. Matt knew about Suzy?

"I'll explain everything if you let me in. I don't trust anyone either, I know what you're going through." When the brother's didn't reply for a while, he added, "Suzy sent me."

Finn clutched the folder in his hands, "how to do you know about Suzy?" he asked out loud, praying he hadn't just fucked them over by revealing himself.

"We went to Apate together over the summer," Matt replied easily. Finn remained tense, not sure if he should trust him. Matt seemed to get that and said, "Finn, it's me, I'm serious. Matt Rutherford, we were in the football team for William McKinley High School, we joined the glee club – "

"That's not the point," Kurt cut in, "one of our friends tried turning us in to Apate. How can we trust you're not working for them either?"

A small sigh could be heard. "Finn. Follow the white rabbit, remember that?"

Kurt turned to Finn questioningly. The tall teen frowned, vaguely recalling it from the dream he had last night. How the hell did Matt know about that?

_"Your profile, it says you're a Dream Wanderer, I'm assuming your dreams are special…meaningful. More than ordinary."_

Finn swallowed thickly. Alan had once told him that he could hop through dreams. When he was awake he told him he had saved his life. Was that what a Dream Wander was? He could jump into other people's dreams and interact with them? It could probably explain why his dreams and nightmares were becoming reality. And maybe some of those monsters were other people's nightmare's and he somehow made them his reality. And…

And now his head hurt.

"W-what was her name?" he blurted out, "you told me her name. You said she could help me."

Without pausing to think Matt said, "Ella!"

"Where were we?" his heart was hammering against his chest.

"Mansfield, on a road – a highway, the place was abandoned and you were with Kurt!"

Clenching his teeth for the worst, Finn rushed to the door against Kurt's protest and threw it open.

There, standing with a bunch of shopping bags and dressed in worn jeans and a black trench coat that had seen better days was Matt Rutherford, surprise written all over his face. Finn was caught with the urge to give his friend a hug to see if he was really there, just now realizing how long it had been since he saw his reassuring face.

Matt stumbled under the taller teen's embrace, clearly not used to such close contact, even from Finn. "Uh. Nice to see you too?" He spotted Kurt peering over Finn's shoulder and offered him a lopsided smile. Holding up one of the bags he said, "Breakfast?"

…

He felt sick to his stomach. Literally, it felt like there were little claws in his guts scratching at intestinal walls. It made him want to both puke and go back to the beautiful oblivion that was sleep. He twisted on his stiff bed, his back aching from the pain of sleeping on it for more he was comfortable with.

But he couldn't move.

Frustrated from the discomfort, he twisted again, but fell back against the bed. Something was holding his arms to his sides. Peeking his eyes open in panic, he looked down and saw thick leather straps hooked on the mattress wrapped around his arms.

Now fully awake, he looked around, taking in the cold sanitizing scent, and plain white décor of the small hospital room he resided in.

What was he doing at the hospital? Last he remembered, he was playing video games at Puck's place. Left 4 Dead, he thought back, he was trying to get his character to leave the abandoned town when a horde of infected attacked him.

Then everything went black.

He tried to remember as hard as he could, but nothing came to him. The only possible reason he could think of to being in the hospital was that he suffered from a seizure or something.

That only made him worry further, especially since he had no idea why he was restrained to the bed, which was now making him feel that he must have been on a blind rampage before he was tied up.

He looked around the room again for some sort of clue and was surprised to see that there was no window. There was an IV attached to his right arm, and a computer that seemed to be reading his heart rate, though there were no beeps. It was all so confusing, that he was startled badly when the door in front of him open and a slim bespectacled man in a black suit came in with a male nurse in toe.

"What's going on?" he asked, looking between the two men. He suddenly had the childish urge to see his mother.

"Mr. Mike Chang, I'm Laurence Niac," the slim man greeted smoothly, stopping right by his side. Mike tensed, his insides going cold. He heard about him from Puck, who heard it from Rachel. He wasn't quite sure what the man was, but apparently he had a reputation of taking kids to mental institutions and somehow managing to get the parents to forget about them. "You're currently in Apate Home for the Youth, there's an epidemic spreading through the country affecting kids your age," he explained calmly, "as a precautionary measure we've taken you in to check to see if you have the disease."

Mike looked to the male nurse nervously; he had been preparing a syringe while Laurence had been talking. "What kind of disease?"

"The disease varies from person to person, but common symptoms are hallucinations, thoughts of suicide, and at times delusions of inhuman abilities," Laurence answered breezily, as if he were merely talking about the weather, "so far from most victims, there is an Initial Symptom that influences their will to live."

Mike inched away from the nurse as best he could, but his eyes widened under the slender man's explanation. After playing video games for hours with Puck, all he had running through his mind were destroyed cities and zombie-like people running around killing each other. It took him a second to reign in his over-imaginative assumptions and realize that Laurence was talking about the unexplained suicides happening in the news which had officially been declared an epidemic not too long ago. He tried to relax, knowing that he wasn't suffering from any of the mentioned symptoms, but the nurse was really scaring him with that needle, and it didn't explain why he was tied to his bed.

Unless it really was a rabies-like disease that turned people into bloodthirsty monsters.

"What's the Initial Symptom?" he asked, hoping to buy time.

"From what we understand, it's one of the first hallucinations," Laurence said, nodding to the nurse. Mike felt the panic start to return, he hadn't explained what the syringe was like all doctors would. Already his trust in Laurence was thin, but now was completely gone, and he couldn't stop the whimper of fear as the nurse rubbed his arm with an alcohol swab and lowered the needle to the abused spot. "A blonde girl in a blue dress. An Alice."

Mike yelped as the needle pinched through his pale skin, the burning solution pushed into his veins with no mercy. Thrust into immeasurable pain, Mike thrashed about in the bed, unable to move much because of his restraints. As the burn spread through his body, his could literally feel his brain shudder and tingle like a mad itch. He was dying! They were killing him!

A broken whimper passed his lips, and after suffering for five minutes, the dancer sank down on the bed, a wonderful sensation igniting everywhere. He felt buzzed, like he was floating on a cloud and there was nothing wrong with the world. He couldn't think straight he felt so good.

Breathing deeply, a small moan left him when a calloused hand grabbed him by the chin and forced his left eye open, blinding him with a small flashlight. He could hear the nurse and Laurence talking over him, but their voices were so muffled, he couldn't understand anything. When the hand on his chin let go, his head lulled to the side, the same hands running over his body.

But Mike paid them no mind.

Because standing in front of him was a little blonde girl in a blue dress.

"Hello," she chirped cheerily, blue eyes flashing with dark mischief.

…

After Finn detached himself from his friend with some embarrassment, the three entered the small room, the earlier anxiety now broken by the welcoming over their ex-glee mate. Kurt settled on one of the beds as Finn and Matt dropped the bags and distributed a few sandwiches. As they all sat down together, Matt finally started to explain himself.

"I've been on the run ever since I escaped Apate in August," he said in between bites of his ham sandwich. "it's really complicated but…" he paused, seeing Finn open the yellow folder and skimming through a thick pile of papers. "Suzy told me you managed to get the documents," he grinned wryly. Both brothers frowned at him, and he shrugged, "I've been in contact with her since I escaped, how is she by the way? She looks like a zombie in my dreams."

Finn exchanged looks with Kurt who looked down uncomfortably. Matt didn't know.

"What?" he looked between the two with a frown, "did something happen?"

Finn bit the inside of his cheek, fiddling with the corner of a profile, "no one knows how, but she passed away a few weeks ago. I actually never got to see her outside my dr – "

"What?"

He winced, frightened by the sharp tone from his normally laid back friend. There was a fierce look in his eyes that made him feel like a prey to the predator. He'd never seen Matt like this, and for a wild second he thought he would attack him.

"We don't know any of the details," Kurt cut the cold silence softly, "everyone's saying it was some form of suicide."

Matt shook his head roughly, his sandwich forgotten. He lost his appetite, now he wanted to throw up. He looked as though someone had punched him in the gut and he was having a difficult time to recover. "That can't be…are you sure it's her?"

Finn nodded, feeling irrationally guilty that he had to deliver this news. "Figgins told me himself. The whole school knows about it."

His friend sighed heavily, tears brimming on the rims of his eyes. For the first time, Finn was starting to really feel the pain of Suzy's death even though he only got to know her through flashes of his dreams. He would never be able to thank her in person for helping him escape Apate. She would never enjoy the simple pleasure of breathing again, or grow old, be a mother, go to college, none of that.

She wouldn't be there when Apate would finally be destroyed.

Wiping his eyes, he cleared his throat and glanced at Kurt, feeling self conscious. He wasn't as upset as they were, but he was solemn, acknowledging that Suzy had been important to them.

"She pulled the martyr card," Matt rubbed his eyes, head dipped in grief. "She was stuck and I couldn't help her."

"Matt," Kurt spoke gently, "I know this is hard. I obviously didn't know her as well as you did, but up until now we've been running around with no real direction; I still have no idea what's going on," he glanced at Finn guiltily, still wishing he were home even if Finn was adamant about Babylon. "Please, if you can explain everything from the start – anything you know…"

Matt nodded, taking a moment to compose himself. That was his original intent anyway. Suzy had told him so before sending him off to Mansfield. "First off, Apate isn't a mental institution; it's a research center for human genetics." Both stepbrothers listened intently, "Suzy and I were one of its first test subjects from what I know. They came to us when we started seeing things, saying they were an institution for people like us. We wanted help, so we agreed to go with them," he looked as though he were struggling with a bad memory, "I don't remember much after the escape, but…"

"It's fine," Kurt said quickly, "just as long as you can remember something."

Matt nodded and tried to remember everything in order. "The place seemed fine at first until they started giving us a ton of medicine and putting us in small rooms to observe us."

…

Her whole body felt like a ton of bricks. Her throat was itchy from the cold, and her back was aching from the bed, yet she had no energy to turn over. She hadn't opened her eyes, but she already knew where she was. It was too cold and uncomfortable for it to be her room, and though her memory was foggy, she knew she was at the one place she did not want to be.

Rachel peered around anyway, temporarily blinded by the light of the room. A pale ceiling looked down over her. The same ceiling she woke up to last time. Swallowing thickly, she craned her neck to see if anything had changed since the last time.

The room was as empty and dull as before.

The morning sun was glaring through the window. She wondered how long she'd been out, and didn't have the energy to go into a sobbing fit. She wanted to see her parents. She needed to go back home and stay behind the safety of their arms.

Why was this happening to her?

As if to answer, the door opened and the same nurse from before entered, still as cheerful as ever. Rachel was relieved to see that he had no syringes with him, but he had a small blue teddy bear. The one, Rachel realized with boiling anger, that used to sit on her bed. It was a birthday gift from Finn.

"How are we feeling?" Eric asked, placing the teddy bear carefully on the floor where Rachel could see. She sent him her fiercest glare, but he only laughed, "Understandable. The updated Pollen is much stronger," he pulled out a flashlight pen from his chest pocket and flashed it over the brunette's brown eyes, "the color is fading back to normal," he murmured, "I'll be giving you another dose in an hour."

"What?" Rachel whispered hoarsely, eyes widening in fear.

"Well, here's the catch," the nurse stood back with a grin, "there's a disease in your brain that is only non-lethal if activated and handled accordingly. If you show any signs of the disease activating, our dosages will be lowered and you'll be back on your feet in no time. However, if there isn't any, I'm afraid we'll have to up the dosage."

"But – "

"I'll make you a deal," he went on playfully. He gestured to the teddy bear, "you move this bear without touching it, and I'll cut the dosage in half." He checked his watch, not waiting for Rachel to reply, "Your friend Puck is up for another shot. You have six hours."

Rachel watched him leave with a resounding click of the door. She looked down at the innocent blue bear, unable to make sense of what the man had asked of her.

…

They left Mansfield as quickly as they arrived. There was no need to stop at a diner either for a meal since Matt had supplied them with a few snacks to last them to their next destination.

Kurt stared at the road ahead, his eyes narrowed in thought. Next to him, Finn held the same expression. He hadn't let go of his hand since they left. For that, Kurt was secretly grateful. After what Matt told them about the institution, he felt like a cornered mouse with the world's largest cat ready to pounce him. Holding Finn's hand was his only sense of security now.

_"Why would they perform experiments on you?" Kurt asked, "I thought Apate opened a few months ago, this sounds like they've been going for years."_

_Matt took a swig of sprite, and sighed, staring at the can morosely. "It didn't get approval until recently to go public as a mental institution, but yeah, they've been experimenting for years. The recent suicides are all due to their breakthrough in rearranging human DNA. The only reason its teenagers is because we're going through adolescence, biological change is part of the reason they chose us, but mainly it's for the psychological aspect," he took another drink, "kids our age have an explosion of hormones to handle – we struggle with finding our place in the world, caught up in labels and crap. I'm not sure how, but that's the reason why Apate chose us, they somehow managed to come up with a way to change our DNA by letting our mixed up emotions be the gateway."_

_"Is that what all this stuff is?" Finn asked, holding up the documents, "Dream Wanderer? Pyrokinetic? They gave us super powers?"_

_"Not intentionally," Matt took the papers; he'd never gotten his hands on these before and was very curious to see if his profile would be among the papers. "Me and Suzy were getting suspicious about the institution, so we started sneaking around, trying to get some answers, but all I can remember is that they changed our genetic code in order to unlock a certain ability they're looking for. They call it the Anomaly."_

Kurt remembered how unreadable Matt had become when he paused at his own profile. He explained that the picture was from a group photo with the football team for the yearbook. It was the day he first started to see the ominous little girl. After that he ended up visiting doctors in secret, even using the cover that they found spiders in his head. Once school finished, Apate presented itself in the form of Laurence Niac. The man who took his family from him.

And the man who forced both him and Finn to leave home. Kurt clenched the wheel with barely contained fury.

_"What's the Anomaly?" Kurt frowned._

_Matt shook his head. "I never found out. But the president is dying to get it." He read over his profile silently. Kurt remembered it almost word for word as he had with the documents of all his friends. Especially Finn's._

_Matt Rutherford… Ability: Time Jumper. Can hop through several miles in a short amount of time by picturing the destination and manipulating time into guiding him to that destination through dreams. Ability has developed slowly over the course of five months. Estimating the time in which his ability will come to fruition is difficult to determine. Locking onto his dream state is impossible since the….probably will not be taken to Babylon for further examination until another Dream Wanderer is found._

_"I thought it was cool at first that we got superpowers," Matt said softly, setting down his profile on the bed, "it was easy to do in dreams if you had enough control over them…but in reality it's like your guts turn inside out. That's how it is for me," he muttered grimly, lightly touching his stomach. Kurt caught Finn nod in understanding, not sure what to make of it. "These abilities aren't a blessing or something that naturally belongs to you. They're a disease."_

Kurt took a glance at Finn. He was staring out the window at the passing traffic. He couldn't tell what was running through his stepbrother's mind, but he knew it must have something to do with what Matt told them.

The corner of his mouth quirked as he looked at Finn's freshly dyed ginger hair. Red really didn't suit him. He looked like a poor imitation of one of those characters from Harry Potter. He turned back to the road and threw a glance at the cracked rearview mirror, mentally wishing Matt had gotten them a more decent car than this broken down ten year old smelly jeep. He caught a flash of bleach blond locks and scowled. He couldn't escape the need to disguise himself either.

Finn said he looked fine, but Kurt absolutely hated how the bright color changed his complexion. He wasn't too keen on the cheap baggy clothes Matt got him either, but he sucked it up. Finn wasn't complaining, so he wasn't going to either.

But shit brown? Really? Matt could have picked out a better color for a shirt…

_"Suzy's not completely dead, by the way," Matt spoke after a moment. The brothers flinched in surprise, already feeling uneasy at the animalistic look in his eyes when he spoke about his powers. "The disease starts with something called the Initial Symptom, it's when people infected start seeing a girl named Alice," he looked up at Finn who straightened up in alarm, "it can happen before or after we start to see or imagine ourselves with powers. She's deceptively innocent and manipulative. Most importantly, she's responsible for the suicides happening in the news. Most victims aren't even aware they're committing suicide until it's too late."_

_Kurt paled, recalling the frightening day he drove to the hospital after Finn was in a car accident due to taking sleeping pills. He remembered his stepbrother explaining a little blonde girl named Alice told him to do it, under the assumption that the sleeping pills were magic candy that could erase his hallucinations._

_"She almost killed me," Finn whispered, also remembering the accident._

_"Some kids do survive," Matt nodded, "my parents got me before I could die of blood loss," he pulled back his sleeve, revealing a scar of what used to be a long gash from his wrist to his forearm." Kurt gasped in horror. "The good thing is that she only tries to kill us once, after that she just taunts us with her presence. I started getting dreams of jumping to far places after that. Apate took me in, and after a bunch of experiments using a drug they called Pollen, I was able to do it in reality," he stared into his soda can grimly again. "I was able to escape using that ability, but Suzy stayed behind."_

_Finn frowned, "I started hallucinating monsters before I met Alice, though."_

_Matt shrugged, swiveling his soda thoughtfully, "that happens sometimes, some of the patients I've seen don't see her until later, but that depends on what type of ability they have. Suzy didn't see Alice until she was able to fully control her ability." His eyes teared up again and he swallowed thickly, it was obvious it hurt talking about his friend now that he knew she was dead._

_"She was a possible Dream Wanderer like Finn," Kurt said, having recalled reading her profile last night. "But she – "_

_"She was a Dream Wanderer," Matt corrected, "but she was…she was unique," he cleared his throat, "When Apate triggered the disease in her, she was able to understand and master her ability enough to jump into the dreams of adults and influence their thoughts enough for her to hide her abilities from them. We used to joke that she also had the power to understand complex mechanisms within seconds. She was the first to figure out what Apate was really doing and found a way for her to freely move though all dreams and use the victims abilities to her advantage."_

Kurt had taken this all in thoughtfully. It made sense. She had been coming into Finn's dreams, and helped him escape Apate. Kurt wasn't so sure about her yet, but Finn had full trust in her to keep Carole and his father safe.

Kurt switched lanes, seeing a few signs pointing towards where he needed to go. They hadn't been driving long. Their destination was only about an hour away after all, though the traffic was making it longer than it should have been. Scowling again at the chill that peeled though him, Kurt turned up the heat, mentally cursing the Jeep's inability to keep them properly warm.

_"The drawback," Matt continued to explain, "is that by becoming powerful in dreams, in reality, her body would weaken since she'd be asleep most of the time and on the edge of slipping into a coma. She promised not to go too far unless there was no other choice." Matt had been skimming through the papers again. He stopped at his friends profile; looking gutted once more to see the 'X' across her picture. It didn't feel real. He couldn't accept that she was gone._

_"Is that what you mean by she isn't fully dead?" Kurt asked, watching the saddened teen, pull off the photograph._

_"Y-yeah," he blinked several times, "her corpse will be left behind, but her soul will reside in dreams for however long she can last. She's like a dream ghost now, except she can use dreams to influence reality, like she did to help you escape," he turned to Finn who nodded slowly. "Dream Wanderer's are special," Matt looked back down at the picture, "they're also unique to each person. You could kind of say that Suzy's like a god in dreams because she's smart enough to manipulate them to her will. You're different too," Finn and Kurt straightened up again; they'd been wanting to hear this for the longest time, "she told me you're also an empath. It's why you suffer from hallucinations more than anyone; you're highly sensitive to the dreams and nightmares of people and end up experiencing them in reality. You're also able to temporarily borrow victims abilities though dreams at least."_

_Finn's eyes widened. "Suzy asked when she took me to the file room if I remembered Peter's power. I wouldn't have escape if I hadn't learned the ability to walk through walls!" Matt nodded. Kurt, on the other hand was completely confused. Laurence had mentioned something alone those lines of how Finn had escaped, he never imagined it would be true, he'd thought Laurence was just being creepy and manipulative as usual. "I did it in reality too, but got the worst migraine when I did it…"_

As the two spoke of their abilities, Kurt had looked down at the pile of documents, fishing out his own. There was gibberish everywhere. It didn't explain anything about him having an ability other than it being 'unknown', and yet he was among the teens infected with the disease.

Driving down towards exit 21C, Kurt subconsciously laced his fingers with Finn's. He hoped 'unknown' meant Apate made a mistake and assumed he was infected simply because he was a teenager. They infected a lot of kids after all; they may have missed a few. Whatever the case, he never saw an Alice, so that was a good sign so far.

"Wanna get some real food once we find a motel?" he asked, breaking the long silence. Finn shrugged. Not really in a conversational mood. Taking it in stride, Kurt kept his focus on the road.

_"Wait," Finn frowned, "if Suzy's so powerful, why does she need my help? Can't she just stop Apate by manipulating the dreams of the people in charge?"_

_Matt shook his head sadly, "I didn't understand until now, but she's losing strength, she can't do it alone," he scowled, "besides, the people in charge are survivors of the same experiments they put on us, they're too powerful for her to handle. Especially Niac." Burt and Carole's hypnotized faces flashed through Kurt's mind. He slouched at the memory. He'd forgotten the man had the government on his side. Finn slumped on his spot on the bed as well, having recalled this too._

_"Then what can I do?" he mumbled, crumbling the plastic wrap that had wrapped around his finished sandwich, "I can't even figure out what I'm doing in my dreams without Suzy to guide me…and the hallucinations have gotten stronger," he shivered, "now everything around me changes, it's not just monsters anymore. The only thing that takes them away is Kurt."_

_Matt looked at his friend thoughtfully. Noting how much skinnier he was than when he last saw him, and there was a haunted look clinging to the dark shadows under the tall teen's eyes. He turned to Kurt who squirmed under his stare. He seemed to be thinking hard on an explanation, but in the end it seemed he came up with nothing._

_"If Suzy picked you, she has a good reason. I can't help you with stopping the hallucinations," he finally said apologetically, "but I can help you with going around undetected," he rolled off the bed and grabbed one of the bags that he brought from the pharmacy. He pulled out a few boxes and tossed them to the brothers._

After that it had been an argument on hair dyes, clothing, and the general nuisance of disguises. While it pissed Kurt off, it cheered Finn up somewhat. Going around in disguise gave their situation an action/adventure feel to it. It temporarily shadowed the morbid dread the brothers felt of their situation.

_"I'm giving you guys a bit of cash to stretch you through for food, too," Matt added, pulling out a wad of bills from his pocket. Before Finn or Kurt could protest he added, "don't worry it's not mine, I picked it off a dealer in Brooklyn."_

_"You stole money from a drug dealer!" Kurt gaped, face turning red in shock._

_"He didn't see me," Matt shrugged, unashamed of his little thievery, "besides, the money was for you," they still looked uneasy so he added, "come on, he was going to jail anyway."_

_Kurt shook his head, amazed that Matt had changed so much. He never thought him capable of stealing, especially from someone as dangerous as a drug dealer. "You do this often?"_

_"Only this one time," Matt relented, tossing the money on the bed, "this was an emergency."_

Kurt eyed the cheap backpack in the rearview mirror where it was sitting in the behind him. The money was stored inside along with a bunch of random things he never imagined Matt would get a hold of if not for his unique ability. He wondered how many dirtied hands had gone through it before it ended up here. He was sure this would end up biting them in the ass, but he had to admit, any bit of money would help right now. He wasn't too confident he could stretch his savings for both him and Finn.

_"You also can't use your car," Matt broke the uneasy silence._

_"What?" Kurt snarled. That really didn't agree with him._

_"I have a friend here who'll hold it until you come back," he explained, not surprised by Kurt's reaction, "you'll be taking his jeep."_

_"You're coming, right?" Finn asked in alarm before Kurt could argue. "You sound like you aren't."_

_"No, I'm not going," Matt crossed his arms, "I've got other things to take care of. I only came to fill you in on a few things and provide you with a car – "_

_"But we have no idea where to go!"_

_"Suzy should help you there," the burly teen said matter-of-factly, "she directed you out of Apate with the help of victims, I'm sure she found someone who can figure out a route. At least until you reach Ella."_

Kurt took another exit toward Cascade Parking. The mystery of Ella had interested him. Matt explained that she was Peter's sister. The same boy who apparently helped Finn escape. She lived in Youngstown, and was around their age, though her ability was unknown to Apate and so far she managed to avoid its clutches. Kurt had no idea what kind of help she would be, but Matt said Suzy believed she could be useful. He had no address though, so they had to think of some way to find her soon.

_"Is Ella the white rabbit?" Finn asked._

_Matt shook his head. "Alice likes to taunt you, but I've managed to follow her all the way to Harrisburg until the trail runs cold. I don't know why, but something in the East is important to her, probably where she comes from or where Babylon is. I could never find it. Something always keeps me from finding it. But maybe you can since you hallucinate more than any of the victims, I mean, Alice is a hallucination too, you'll probably end up following her to a place I could never reach since Babylon's possibly a whole hallucination as well. That's probably what Ella will help you with, I have the weirdest feeling that she'll help you the most with connecting with everyone infected, I only met her once, but I think she could be a Dream Wanderer too, or something close to it."_

_"And she's in Youngstown," Finn mumbled, a weird look written over his face. Matt looked at Kurt with an arched eyebrow, but he seemed just as confused. "I…Alan said…" suddenly he was jumping with excitement, "I know where to go!"_

Kurt reached S Main Street, looking around at the tall important looking buildings. Finn had come to life, looking around him in wonder. Kurt thought idly if Finn had ever seen the city before. Or maybe he was just fascinated by the tall buildings…

"This place is huge," Finn said with a hint of worry, "how the hell are we going to…" he paused thoughtfully, "…what the hell are we supposed to find here?"

At this, Kurt visibly shook with irritation, "you made me drive to freaking Akron for nothing!?"

"Alan told me to," Finn winced under Kurt's yelling. "I'm just doing what he says!"

Huffing, Kurt turned back to the road and drove down the street.

Only to hit the breaks when a girl ran across him. He didn't stop on time though, the girl slammed against the car and fell hard on the concrete.

Kurt and Finn stared in horror. Scrambling out of the car, they rushed to the front where the girl was moaning in pain and struggling to her feet.

"Oh my god, are you okay?" Kurt blurted out, his heart hammering like crazy as he and Finn helped her up. Already few people who had witnessed the accident were rushing up to see if she was all right. Kurt winced when the girl clutched on his arm, her fingers numb with cold. She was panting as if she'd run a marathon, her face hidden under long dark brown hair. If Kurt hadn't been so hysterical, he would have noticed that the scratches and cuts all over her body were already healing.

The brothers helped the girl sit down again when her legs gave out. Kurt could hear someone already making a call for an ambulance. He would have done it himself except the new disposable phones Matt had provided for him and Finn were in his bag in the car.

This also provided them with a new problem. The police would want his license and registration, and while Kurt had a fake one ready, he didn't expect to use it so soon after just entering a new place he and Finn had yet to search. The police would figure them out and take them to prison, and then Apate would find them and take Finn away…

The girl pulled back her hair, her face torn with fear, though she appeared unharmed. All of Kurt's worries were instantly replaced with shock.

"Sunshine?"


	16. Quarantine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An emergency quarantine is issued. The nature of Finn's accident comes to light, and Matt crosses paths with Sam and Jackie.

…

Chapter Sixteen

Quarantine

…

The vials were supposed to last for at least one or two weeks. Time enough to find and capture the escapee Finn Hudson, and his brother Kurt Hummel. Barely three days passed and already there were eight lonely vials left. Jackie stared at the empty case in horror; cold sweat beading at her forehead, knees trembling in an effort to keep her upright.

There was no possible way she carelessly gave so many doses to Sam.

Slamming the box shut, she took a deep calming breath and shut her eyes for a few seconds. She was hallucinating. All this work with afflicted teens had finally gotten to her. There should definitely be more than eight filled vials in the case.

Yes. She was sure of it. She knew her math.

Cautiously, Jackie opened the metal lid and looked inside.

Still only eight vials.

"Damnit!" she spat, shutting the box so hard it almost fell from the table. She looked around the small motel room in panic. There was only one explanation to the empty vials. If she was right, and she believed with dread that she was, then that meant Sam had taken some doses out of her watchful eye.

It made sense. Ever since Laurence had increased the dosage on the blond, he had quickly begun to deteriorate in his ability to have control over himself. He needed Laurence's hypnotism in order to function, and when that was taken away, he needed the Pollen. Jackie cursed herself, she had seen all the signs, but she did nothing to prevent it. Mindlessly allowing Sam to lose himself to such a dangerous drug, letting Laurence control her even without his power. She was the worst.

It was six in the morning when she discovered this. She woke up to give Sam his daily dose, it was only now that she realized he wasn't in the room. Already different scenarios were playing out in her mind. Sam took the Pollen and ran off, he was on a street somewhere half dead...or those unlucky to be around him were dead...

Originally Pollen was used to try to bring out the abilities in the dreams of the patients. Sam was one of the few successes in it working without any side affects like stomachaches or migraines, but it didn't work completely. Unlike the few patients that were able to use their powers in reality, Sam's ability was warped by the Pollen. From what her tests and observations determined, his ability was starkly different, and potentially dangerous if given the wrong idea.

It was why Laurence called him a beast.

And since Pollen 162 was so powerful, it would either incapacitate Sam or temporarily throw him in a mindless rage if he took so many doses at once.

The false ability he had was dangerous enough. She didn't want to think about what would happen if his true ability surfaced.

Before she could think of what else to do her phone vibrated by the night table. Clicking her tongue in frustration she snatched it and flipped it open. Laurence's name glowed on the screen. Shit.

"Hello?" she replied as calmly as possible.

_"How are you doing with Sam?"_ No greetings, just straight to the point. Jackie rubbed her forehead.

"Uh…he's…he's holding up," she lied, staring at the ceiling as if it would stretch out a helping hand. "We've lost Finn's trail though and – "

_"That's fine; he's probably out of state anyway, you won't be able to catch him."_ Jackie stared at her phone in bewilderment. Then what was the whole point of sending her and Sam off to chase after him if it was hopeless? _"I've received a call from Her. She knows what's happened and She expects him to be arriving at Babylon."_

Her? The Head? "How did she – "

_"Alice."_

Jackie clammed up; the Alice entity was really starting to creep her out, no less than her boss though. "Oh. I see…"

_"We've issued a quarantine on Lima in case of any leaks, two girls already escaped capture and I intend to get them back before they catch the first flight out. There'll be other quarantines put out to the rest of the country by the end of the week."_

"Quarantine," her heart jumped, "that'll only cause mass panic, what are you planning to do when that – "

_"We're making the disease public. Orders from the top, apparently the search for the Anomaly isn't going as well as planned and there's been a hitch in one of the patients, it could be that there are others like him, we've got no choice but to secure all of the infected before things get out of control."_

"Laurence," she looked at the half empty case of vials, a part of her tempted to hang up and look for Sam, but another desperate to know what the hell was going on. She may have been a part of Apate, but she wasn't in as important a position as Laurence to know everything that went on, and it was starting to annoy her. "Are you asking me to find the Anomaly?"

He didn't answer immediately. Weak kneed, the nurse sat down, trying to piece together exactly what Laurence wanted from her. His orders were becoming increasingly unorganized, especially when he gave them out to her, a lowly nurse who only gave out shots and took useless notes, nothing truly integral to the workings of the organization.

_"Tell me how Sam is doing. I want the truth."_

Jackie sighed, rubbing her temples, "Pollen 162 is too strong, it's become like a heroin for him, he's addicted to it," she bit her lip, the guilt threatening to swallow her whole, "He…he took several doses when I wasn't looking, I don't know where he is."

The silence on the other end was deafening. Any longer and Jackie was sure she would have pissed herself.

_"Perfect."_

"What?" she blinked. "Wh-what do you mean – "

_"The original pollen was designed to make the ability a reality; it failed to do so with Sam and created a warped version instead. Pollen 162 was made to breakdown whatever barriers he had and make his true ability come out. The only defect – as we've seen with the other patients who've taken it – is addiction. The fact that Sam has it means the pollen worked."_

"How could…" Jackie's heart fell, what little trust she had left in her old friend shattered, "162 was more to keep him in control not…you knew this whole time – you lied to me?…He's only a child, do you realize the damage that's been done to him! He may never be able to recover – what if it _doesn't_ work and his ability gets worse! He could die!"

_"We've had several successes in the past twenty four hours."_ Laurence cut in calmly, unsurprised at Jackie's blow up.

"Laurence – "

_"Find Sam, he won't be far if what you say is true. Then I want you two to go to Babylon, Finn and his brother will definitely find their way there. Use Sam to incapacitate Finn and bring him back."_

Jackie swallowed thickly. "And his brother?"

A pause. _"Kill him."_

He hung up before she could squeeze a protest in. Now in addition to feeling horrible for turning Sam into an addict, she now had to add murder to the list..

Growling under her breath, Jackie shook her head and stood up.

"Sam!" she called out, looked around the bedroom for a hopeless third time before rushing to the closet. Only two hangers holding their coats swung listlessly from the force. Swearing under her breath, she ran to the bathroom, hoping he would be there, and not outside where everyone around him would be in danger. "Sam!" she yelled again, throwing open the door.

The light was on. That's a good sign. What greeted her first was the toilet. Empty vials littered the floor, and her med-kit had been opened and tossed aside as if someone were desperately looking for something. She already knew what happened, and the panic for her patient running out on her subsided.

Swallowing, she looked to her left to the shower stall. Lying in a heap was Sam, his arm wrapped in a rubber strip and a used syringe held loosely in his hand. If he wasn't twitching ever so faintly, Jackie would have assumed he was dead.

She was surprised he wasn't.

"Sam!" she breathed both in relief and horror, kneeling down in front of him and ripping the syringe away, "Can you hear me? Sam!" she shook his shoulders roughly, but he didn't react. She removed the rubber band and shuffled around to get him to stand. He was bigger than her, and he weighed a ton, but she managed to drag him out of the bathroom.

The bed bounced when she threw him on it. He moved very slowly, a soft noise of protest crawling from his throat, but he gave up and slumped back on the mattress. Jackie bit her lip and positioned him more comfortably. She had no resources to get the Pollen out of him. Going to the hospital would raise suspicions, and Laurence had forbidden her from doing so anyway. All she could do now was wait until the drug left his system and pray he'd be alive when it did.

She didn't want to be around when his cravings would start up again. Though it made him docile and easy to order around when under the influence of Pollen, there was no way she was going to give him another dose. Screw Laurence's orders, it was way too strong, and it did nothing to help them find Finn. By now the brothers were probably in disguise, hard to pick out from a crowd.

Now what was she going to do?

A loud bang made her jump and scream. She whipped around to the sudden gust of wind that burst from behind her and came face to face with a young man completely in black.

Matt stumbled as the pain in his stomach swelled with cramping nausea. Swallowing down bile, he glared at the frightened woman, recognizing her from his days at Apate.

"Found you," he rasped triumphantly.

…

_It was dark._

_The road was empty, and he was in a lulled state._

_He was seconds from falling asleep, but he couldn't completely do it. Something was stopping him._

_He was driving. To where, he had no idea._

_It was so dark. He could only see as far as the headlights could reach._

_All of the sudden a tree rushed at him. Then darkness overwhelmed him._

He was in the highway again. It was empty, and they'd been driving for what felt like hours. Snacks had dwindled to crumpled potato chip bags and empty water bottles. Gas was low and money was short. But that was okay. Everything was okay. It was perfect.

"We should be reaching Youngstown in ten minutes tops."

Finn looked to the driver with a fond smile. Kurt returned the glance and smiled back. He reached over and took his hand. Warm and secure – real and always there. He wished things would stay like this forever. Kurt faced the road again. The rising sun glowed gold over him, heightening his angelic features like a Michelangelo masterpiece. It took Finn's breath away.

"I love you," he said softly, leaning over and kissing Kurt on the corner of his lips. His lover smiled against the gentle kiss, the movement sending shivers of delight up Finn's spine.

And suddenly, even though he was driving, Kurt was really kissing him. Lips mashed against his, tongue stroking soothingly, arms wrapped around him and pulling him closer. He tasted of the strawberry bubblegum he spat out earlier. The hint of his own unique flavor invading him with lust. He wanted more.

They parted briefly, gazing into each other's eyes. Breathless and happy, ready to continue touching.

And then Finn saw her. A figure standing in the horizon behind Kurt. Though she was rooted to the spot, she moved at the same speed they were going. Hazel eyes boring into him. She was the strangest sight. Tall and almost gangly, dressed in a fluffy bell shaped dress and small top hat, her ebony skin made even darker against the light of the sun. He couldn't see her very clearly, but he knew she was very important.

Ella.

…

There were few moments when Finn would simply open his eyes and be awake. No jerky movements from a nightmare or startled twitches from an alarm clock. Today was one of those days, and the first thing to greet him was the sleeping face of his stepbrother, the sun from the window lighting his face up in all the right places.

Still stuck at the edge of falling asleep, a tired smile tugged at Finn's lips. He reached up and gently brushed back a stray blond hair that hung over Kurt's closed eyes. The small gesture didn't even make the other boy stir. He remained deep in sleep, slow breaths escaping from his parted lips. Finn watched him with floating happiness, marveling at how young Kurt looked. The weariness that pulled at his face from all the recent stress was gone. He never noticed before, but Kurt had changed dramatically since he first remembered him freshmen year, especially now that he was blond. He was different. Mature. The baby face was gone; it was almost like he was lying next to a stranger. A beautiful stranger.

His fingers trailed down from the side of his flushed cheek to his chin, then back up to trace pink lips. Lips that felt so soft and innocent. Felt like nothing of the sharp wit that would spill from them.

And he kissed them.

Finn froze.

No he hadn't. That was a dream.

And this was Kurt. His stepbrother.

Just as the sleeping boy stirred, Finn ripped his hand back as if burned. Shame and embarrassment filled him so bad his hands started to shake. What was he doing? This was wrong. Everything about this was just horribly wrong. Kurt was his brother. He had _Rachel_ , his perfect and dedicated girlfriend - what the hell was he doing with Kurt!

It was that dream. Finn sat up and took a few calming breaths. He'd been dreaming of Kurt so much they were warping into weird romantic dreams. Soon he wouldn't just be kissing him, they would be naked, and…and making out and…and _that._

As soon as the idea popped in his head he was conflicted with the repulsiveness and attractiveness of such a dream. It only served to make him more ashamed and confused. He really shouldn't be thinking of Kurt this way. This was all stress. The combination of hallucinations, dreams, and Kurt being the only person able to help him through touch were crashing down on him. He needed comfort and the only available source was his stepbrother since Rachel wasn't around.

Finn only felt worse when he thought of it that way.

'I'm going crazy,' he thought miserably, running a hand through his bedridden hair. "What the hell am I doing?" he mumbled, turning away from his brother.

The motel room remained quiet to his unanswered question. Almost mocking his dilemma. He looked up with a sigh and felt himself turn to ice.

A brunette lying in the second bed stared up at him, her brown eyes pulled into a light frown of curiosity. He'd forgotten they were sharing the room with Sunshine. Finn swallowed thickly, not sure of what to say. How much did she see?

"Uh…" was all he could say. Sunshine simply continued staring, her eyes darting from him to Kurt who was still miraculously asleep.

After the chaos that followed the accident, Kurt and Finn had all intentions of taking Sunshine to the hospital. The ambulance was on its way, but after a few moments of garbled yelling they realized that Sunshine wasn't hurt at all even though they hit her pretty hard. She started insisting that she join them for a little bit claiming she'd been looking for them since they left her home.

Her declarations and cries of happiness confused them and everyone else who was still hanging around, but she easily slid into the car and practically ordered them to return home where their family would be waiting for them.

It wasn't until they were out of earshot that she gave up the charade and apologized for freaking them out.

"I have to get out of Ohio," she said desperately as they drove down the streets of Akron, "I-I don't know how, but please, help me."

She didn't say why or what she was doing alone, but she was a familiar face so they let her join them. Kurt was suspicious that she was a spy from Apate, but Finn hadn't thought so. There was real terror in how Sunshine begged for their help. Plus they did run her over, helping her was the least they could do.

Now though, Finn regretted ever letting Sunshine in the car.

The small girl sat up cautiously, the bed sheets slipping off her shoulder revealing Kurt's t-shirt he'd let her borrow. She was practically swimming in it, and the sight would have been both cute and funny were Finn not frightened of what she just witnessed him do.

"How…how much did you see?" he asked uncertainly.

Sunshine hesitated, "I uh…is it a secret?"

"No," he said instantly, then quickly shook his head, "I mean, yes!" No wait, that implied that there really was something behind what he'd just done. "I mean…he had a bug on his face, I was just brushing it off."

The tanned girl looked like she wanted to argue, but she kept her mouth shut and simply nodded. Pulling a tight and utterly fake smile, Finn got up and went to the bathroom. Maybe by the end of the day he could manage to convince himself that there really had been a bug on Kurt's face.

…

Getting a flight to New York had been a nightmare and failure. There was the whole mess of sneaking around Lima that they had to wait a day before reaching the airport, and by the time they arrived a code red had been put out. The trio had heard it in passing but didn't think much of it until they entered the airport and were stopped by security.

"We're sorry, but you'll have to come with us," the burly officer said, holding his hands up to stop them from going any further. Mercedes and Quinn looked at each other in wonder, what was going on now? Did they look like terrorists or something?

"Is there something wrong?" Dr. Hope asked, adjusting his glasses nervously.

"The city's been put on quarantine, no one can leave until they've been tested for an infection that's been spreading around," the second security guard explained, walking them off to the side where a small office lay at the far end of the lobby.

"Quarantine," Dr. Hope breathed disbelievingly, "what…when did this happen?"

Quinn grabbed Mercedes's hand, trembling. They listened quietly as the first officer explained the disease as an illness that infected young people and prompted to make them act out bizarre and dangerous behaviors. He worded everything carefully, mindful of not freaking them out, but they were already freaking out. They were already infected. Everyone was infected.

And now people were starting to get how dangerous this all was. The small hope of getting a cure in New York dwindled to nothing the closer they got to the safety and security office.

Mercedes nervously looked up in time to see a big tv screen with an emergency news report showing a group of paramedics guiding a bunch of confused kids into ambulances.

"…Are calling this the Alice Syndrome, not to be confused with the Alice in Wonderland Syndrome" the new anchor said importantly, the screen switched to an old man in a suit giving a speech, "it has been decided that Lima, Ohio will be put on quarantine until further notice in order to prevent any more infections from spreading…" another clip was shown of Laurence watching over the kids being taken away, "so far those infected have been victims between thirteen to nineteen, twelve percent of which have committed suicide since the start of June 2010, and is increasing at an alarming rate. It has officially been declared an epidemic that has spread throughout the entire country and possibly surrounding countries."

"Mercedes?" Quinn looked to her friend; she was staring in horror at the screen. The two officers and an arguing Dr. Hope were far ahead of them. The blond looked at the tv as well and paled at the footage of kids her age being taken away from their homes, all in a trance-like state. And why wouldn't they be? Laurence was there, controlling their every move. He didn't look too happy either.

Then suddenly the scene changed to two pictures, one of a tall young man in a red football uniform, and another smiling brilliantly at the camera.

"Oh my god," Quinn gasped.

"Police are on the lookout for orphaned brothers Finn Hudson and Kurt Hummel. Hudson was a patient from Apate Home for the Youth infected with the Alice Syndrome. He escaped the institution three nights ago and is currently on the run with his brother. Hudson suffers from severe hallucinations and has been known to act out violently and become emotionally unstable. Both brothers are considered armed and dangerous, if you see or hear from them, please contact the following numbers."

A list of phone numbers popped up, Apate being the first. Mercedes and Quinn didn't pay attention to any of that though.

"Did she say orphaned?" Quinn asked in a hushed voice. Mercedes was too shocked to nod.

What happened to Burt and Carole?

Both girls jumped when a hand grabbed them from behind. Dr. Hope gazed at them pointedly; he looked a second away from panicking. Mercedes saw he was wearing his earplugs again and she almost wanted to groan disappointment. Except she could see the officers over the doctor's shoulder running toward them, talking into their walkie talkies like something big was about to happen. Which it was.

Mercedes looked at Quinn warningly and she dutifully stuffed her fingers in her ears.

…

Four hours passed and Sam still hadn't moved from his spot in the bed. He was barely conscious. Jackie figured he probably had no idea where he was or didn't really care at the moment. For the tenth time she checked his pulse in case it started to slow down or do something crazy. It was still stable. A feat that made her more and more nervous as the minutes ticked by.

Matt watched the pair carefully from his spot across the cramped motel room. A sickening ache in his gut boiling that had nothing to do with him using his power. He remembered Jackie as one of the many nurses who looked over him while he was in Apate. After he started showing his ability, he saw less and less of her, especially after Suzy revealed herself to be a unique kind of Dream Wanderer.

That was what they wanted. A Dream Wanderer. Despite his best efforts, Matt couldn't understand why.

Now that he lucked out in finally tracking a connection to Apate, he would do everything he could to sap out as much information as possible. And then use it to destroy the hated institution.

"Pollen 162," he finally spoke. "You've perfected it." Jackie tensed visibly, but quickly tried to brush it off. She busily looked over her med kit for something that could help Sam, though there really wasn't anything she could do but wait. After her initial shock, she recognized Matt from her time with the first few patients. In all honesty she wasn't surprised to cross paths with him again; she just wished she had her stun gun by her side to make her feel somewhat safe. "When I was in Apate I had to be given two daily doses of the regular Pollen to keep me quiet. He's given how many a day?"

"He's different," Jackie said tightly, fingers hovering over some bottles of sedatives.

"So was Suzy."

Jackie scowled and slammed the kit shut with a smack. "How did you find me?" she glared at the steel case on her lap, "acting out of revenge? Am I the first on your list?"

"I need information," Matt said simply, "once I have that I'll go. If it's fake," he smiled coldly, "I can always find you again. You're crap at hiding."

The nurse scoffed and set the kit aside, standing up to face him, "what do you want to know?" she crossed her arms, masking her surprise at how much the young man had changed. Back when he was her patient there was a certain naivety in his trust in her, like a child to a mother. A hope that with time, everything would be okay again. It was gone now, he looked centuries older than he really was, and it hurt to look him in the eye knowing she was responsible for it.

Matt's eyes strayed back to Sam. He didn't know him, but Kurt and Finn had mentioned the betrayal of a friend who now worked for Laurence and was on the hunt for them. Maybe this was that person. He didn't seem as intimidating as he thought.

"You're looking for Finn right?"

"I'm not allowed to share classified information with outsiders."

Matt gave her a withering look, "so that means you are." The nurse pursed her lips, but said nothing. "They're gone; I got them out of the country. Laurence won't be happy about that."

"You're lying." Though her eyes flickered with panic. Laurence said they were probably out of Ohio, if they were out of the country she was screwed.

"I heard Lima's on quarantine," he said breezily, fishing through his coat pocket. Jackie straightened up nervously. "Is that a last minute attempt to get Finn? A little late, don't you think?"

On knee jerk reaction, Jackie replied, "The infection is spreading at an alarming rate, we're doing everything we can to prevent it from spreading any fur – "

"Everyone's been infected since before news reports started announcing deaths," Matt cut in sharply, "it's too late to catch Finn so there's another reason behind it. The infection's evolved hasn't it?" Jackie frowned, self-consciously taking a step closer to Sam protectively as the other teen approached the blond with something in his fist. "People are starting to use their abilities in reality without the help of Pollen. Some don't even have side effects like I do."

"What are you…" she swallowed nervously, whatever was in Matt's hand was making Sam come alive again. He twitched and whimpered in either pain or fear. "Get away from him," she tried to shove Matt, but he remained stubbornly over Sam.

"When I asked Finn how he escaped Laurence a second time he told me something interesting," he said conversationally, watching with well hidden satisfaction as the fear in Jackie's eyes grew, "a bag full of envelopes. Except they weren't really letters, they were like pieces of knives. They lost his profile, but I have an idea of what this guy can really do. Why he's so dangerous."

Jackie's swallowed a gasp of horror when Matt opened his hand to reveal a crumpled piece of stick-it note. It twitched in his hand, folding erratically into different shapes. Sam's whimpers grew stronger, not even the Pollen could keep him quiet now.

Jackie looked into Matt's eyes grudgingly. He had her attention now.

"What is the anomaly?"

…

They had been outside a total of ten minutes when they passed an electronics store showing a news report of Lima being put in quarantine. Even worse was the following report on Kurt and Finn being on the wanted list. A month ago Finn would have thought this would be awesome, especially if he did something totally badass, but now it took everything he had to keep from puking his breakfast.

Suddenly the red dyed hair and cheap clothes didn't feel protective enough for him. He was tempted to dress as a girl if it meant he could avoid capture.

So as soon as they were given that bad news, they merely rushed to a 7-Eleven for snacks and ate in the car while they looked for a train station or airport to drop Sunshine off. Unfortunately, the car's radio was busted, and they didn't even have music to relax to. Now they were stuck wondering when the police would come chasing them, and if their friends and family were safe.

Finn didn't have the appetite to dig into his sandwich; he just picked it up, paused for a minute, then set it back down. Kurt and Sunshine were no better.

"This is a nightmare, it's like apocalypse except without all the destruction and fire," Kurt said finally with a sigh, staring at the street ahead, not even touching his bag of chips by his seat. The two passengers quietly agreed. "What was the next stop Finn? Youngstown?"

He nodded faintly. It was probably the most inappropriate time, but he started thinking about the dreams again. It always took place in a highway, and it always happened when they were on their way to Youngstown. It was almost prophetic. Like in the time between here and Youngstown, he and Kurt would fall in love.

Finn set down his sandwich with finality. He really had no appetite. What was so special about Youngstown other than it being the place Ella lived?

"I should probably stay here," Sunshine said quietly, "I don't have money for the airport…"

"We're not leaving you stranded here," Kurt protested strongly, slowing to a stop at a red light. He glanced at the rearview mirror to see her staring at her lap, hands tightly clasped. "We've got the money, don't worry."

"But – "

"Trust me, we know what you're going through, and we're going to put a stop to it," Kurt nodded to himself. Finn looked up at his stepbrother, comfort and relief filling him. Did this mean Kurt wasn't just tagging along as his walking sanity? Well, he knew Kurt wasn't only here for that, but hearing him say it to someone else brought him a sense of….security? Happiness?

Without even realizing it, Finn took Kurt's hand in his and just held it. The driver smiled softly and gave it a reassuring squeeze. Sunshine observed the silent exchange thoughtfully until Finn felt her eyes itching on the back of his neck. Sheepishly he let go and looked out the window as if nothing happened. Blissfully unaware, Kurt continued driving.

It was like that for the next long few minutes, the loud silence forcing Finn back to his troubled thoughts. After seeing the news announcing Lima's quarantine, Finn expected everyone to freak out and pack their bags.

But everything was running normally, people were walking at their own pace, talking into their cell phones, laughing, joking, arguing. It was as if they had no idea what was happening in the town a few miles away from them. Didn't anyone watch the news nowadays?

Finn caught sight of a decaying octopus crawling out of a restaurant and instinctively grabbed Kurt's hand, not caring if Sunshine noticed or not.

The hallucinations had stopped since reuniting with Kurt, but every now and then, a monster would pop up. It was nothing as bad as the night he escaped Apate, but it was still frightening all the same.

The visions were kept at bay when they held hands, but the time in which Finn could walk around on his own with no plaguing monsters had become less and less since they arrived at Akron. He was starting to fear that hands would no longer be enough. Maybe they would have to do something more drastic like hugging shirtless.

His cheeks burned. No, that would be a really bad idea, and it would give Kurt the wrong impression. Besides, hugging shirtless was something he should be doing with Rachel, not his brother. Brothers have manly hugs and playful wrestling. There was nothing brotherly about half naked embraces, right?

Then again, Finn never had a brother before, so he wasn't very sure. And hugging Rachel shirtless...they hadn't even gotten there yet. Not really.

Still! Kurt was…different, and might take the hugs the wrong way. That is if things ever came to that – which they weren't, because they would be at Babylon before that ever happened!

"Do you know where you're going?" Sunshine asked uncertainly as the city's building's started pulling away to more open space.

Kurt nodded, wordlessly holding up a map Finn vaguely recalled seeing at the 7-Eleven. "There's a bus station near here. It's true we don't have money for a plane," he admitted sheepishly, "but we can still get you out of here safely, I just need to make a call…" he paused thoughtfully, "one that I hope is still in service…"

"Oh," Sunshine raised her eyebrows, happily pleased with this, but still nervous. After all, she was an exchange student, she had absolutely no sense of direction in this country let alone any friends to trust in. She was pushing her luck when she recognized Finn and Kurt.

"I have some friends in Westerville that might be willing help out," Kurt continued, "but they could already be taken by Apate, so if they are, you're stuck with us," he smiled cheekily at the rearview mirror, catching her confused eyes. "They're names are Nick and Jeff by the way, you'll be in safe hands."

Sunshine nodded gratefully. She looked to Finn for anymore reassurance, and he smiled back at her, though it was a little strained. Not wanting to question their help any further, the tanned girl settled into looking out the window and contemplating what her next move should be if she actually did manage to get out of Akron.

All too soon the metro transit center came into view and Kurt parked the car.

…

This was worse than a cold.

Her whole body felt as if it were going to fall apart any second. It itched for something, trembled and begged for it, but she kept her mouth stubbornly shut. After being stuck inside that prison of a room, Rachel had finally been released to wander around the grounds of Apate. She didn't take two steps out of her room before she spotted Tina and Santana down the hall looking like ten trucks hit them simultaneously. She figured she looked the same.

They found a spot to sit in at the recreation center far away from the nurses after meeting up with other familiar faces. Rachel was silently thankful, she didn't have the energy to walk any further. And she was freezing, the body warmth of her huddled friends helped keep her warm, unlike the stiff white clothes she'd been given.

"No one's seen Mercedes or Quinn right?" Tina whispered, latched onto Mike, who looked so dead his lips were a sickening grey, "that means they…they made it, right?"

"Finn's not here either," Puck muttered, eyeing the large room searchingly, "he's either out or locked up somewhere."

"He's out," Rachel said quietly, "Apate came to me looking for him and he escaped…I think." She bit her lip, "I-I don't know, I can't remember clearly…"

"He escaped?" Santana said quietly, a spark of admiration and hope in her cold eyes, "that means he found a way to get out – we can – "

"If we get out how are we still safe? Tina shook her head miserably, "Lima's in quarantine, they'd find us in a second."

"But it's safe here you guys," Brittany spoke up, cocking her head to the side in confusion, "they've been giving me this awesome medicine that helps me feel better. I don't want to leave."

Rachel swallowed thickly and glanced over to the nurses at the other end of the room, grouped together and gossiping like a bunch of teenagers. No, she secretly admitted with shame, she didn't want to leave the pollen behind either.

But that was all the more reason she had to leave. This place was changing her. The pollen had already done things to her body, her _mind,_ that was scaring her. She wasn't herself anymore, and from the looks on her friends faces, they felt the same.

"They told me they'd stop giving me shots once I was able to move my teddy bear without touching it," she admitted quietly. The group looked at her in surprise, thoughts running a mile a minute when they saw that she obviously wasn't in her room, which only meant…

"And…did you?" Santana asked, feeling a little stupid for asking.

Silently, Rachel nodded. "I had the worst migraine right after, but yeah. I did."

And just like that the others burst out with similar confessions, each request the nurses gave them different from each other.

"This is like a backwards version of X-Men," Mike said, looking sicker than he already did. "What are they trying to get from us by doing this? Are they trying to make some kind of real life super hero organization or something?"

Before Rachel could answer, there was an uproar coming from outside. She whipped around in time to see a new group of kids being herded down the hall towards new cells. She recognized a few from school, and her breath caught in her throat when she spotted Karofsky among them. She hadn't seen him since Finn put him in an ambulance.

And just like that she remembered her boyfriend smashing her head against the bench. It felt like years since it happened, and she thought she'd gotten over it, but seeing Karofsky brought it all back in painful detail. Shuddering at the ache that twinged in her healed wound, she looked away, not wanting to think on it further. 'Finn's not like that,' she thought firmly to herself, 'he's better now. He would never hurt you. He loves you.'

"It's been like that since before the quarantine," Puck muttered darkly. He had been the first out of his cell, and had seen the beginnings of what was obviously a giant sweep of imprisoning teenagers. It reminded him of those videos his history teachers showed him of the holocaust.

The group watched with settling depression as the large horde of kids were dragged away to their new homes. As it fizzled towards the end, they spotted the last person walking calmly in cuffs and stifled a gasp.

Mike stood up sharply, eyes glued to his old friend. "Matt," he breathed.

…

_There was nothing strange about the candy, it kind of tasted like gummy bears even though they weren't. The little girl who helped him smiled up at him, and they continued their trek down the yellow brick road to a direction unknown._

Finn and Sunshine stood afar by the snack shop while Kurt paced back and forth, talking into the cheap cell Matt had given them. His face was annoyingly blank, leaving the pair with nothing but frustration over what the shorter teen could be talking about. Sunshine was starting to fear that things wouldn't work out.

"Thank you for…helping me," she spoke finally, keeping her eyes glued to Kurt. Finn nodded, sticking his hands in his pockets awkwardly. "I…ever since I came here I haven't had the greatest experience, especially now with what's happened to me," she admitted quietly, "I was starting to hate this country so…thank you for showing me kindness," she clasped her hands and looked at the tiled floor, her voice shaking.

"It's been bad luck for all of us," Finn nodded, "it sucks you had to get in the middle of it. America's not that bad, it's just…" then he remembered Rachel sending her to a crackhouse and winced, "a bad first impression," he finished lamely, "you should give it a second chance once this is all over."

Sunshine shrugged, blinking back tears that threatened to spill over, "I just want to go back home and find a cure to my…illness."

Finn looked at the tiny girl curiously, "you never told us what you could do. I have a friend who can travel long distances in seconds, and another who can travel through dreams."

Sunshine shuffled her feet uncomfortably. "When you hit me with the car my…my spine?…I felt it snap." Finn paled, his insides turning cold. Oh god, he wasn't talking to another ghost was he? "By the time you got out of the car it snapped back in place and the pain was gone…and before that…whenever I got hurt, it would go away." She ran a hand up and down her arm in an attempt to comfort herself. "My ability is that I can't die. Even if I want to."

_It felt as though they'd walked for hours. He was about ready to take a break, having finished all the candy. But there was something at the end of the road that struck his curiosity. Unfortunately it all melted away. Taking Alice with it._

"You're…" he tried to think of the right word. "You're immortal?"

Sunshine nodded sadly, "I can still feel pain. It's been terrifying having this ability. There was a girl who said she could help me, but she made me walk off a building instead. No one was around so I ran away, but…I don't want this ability," she shook her head, "if I am immortal, I'll have to watch my friends and family grow old and die without me. I don't want that!"

"It's okay," he put a comforting arm around her trembling shoulders, "this is all Apate's fault, me and Kurt are going to stop them and find a cure, trust me – that's what we're doing right now, looking for the person responsible." He paused thoughtfully, "I woke up one day and started seeing things like talking dogs and headless kids. A girl named Alice said she'd help me, but I got into a car accident instead," he shuddered at the memory of waking up at the hospital filled with monsters, "how'd you first find out? Was it, like, a paper cut or something?"

_Something was wrong. Why was he in his car? He felt so sleepy._

Sunshine stiffened and stared at the floor shamefully. "I…" she bit her lip. "I…even after I transferred, I was still having a horrible time. The rehearsal's were very…harsh. I don't think I've seen a smile from the group unless they were on stage practicing a song," she hung her head, her hands clasped tightly, "I have had to lie to my parents and tell them I was happy so I wouldn't worry them, even though all I wanted was to go home…"

Finn nodded quietly, unsure of where this was going, a bad feeling was churning in his stomach.

Sunshine seemed to consider stopping there, but the words continued to fly out. "One day the director got angry with me for messing up a song. No one defended me, or…or said anything after that, and I thought I was really alone…it was getting too much for me so I…" she was rubbing her arm again, teardrops crashing to the tiled floor, "no one was in the bathroom…and I stole a pair of scissors…it took a while, and it hurt so much and finally...there was so much blood I thought I was definitely going to die." Finn paled in horror. "But no matter how much I cut, nothing happened. I started to remember about my friends and family back home so I stopped. In seconds the cuts healed."

_He didn't know where he was. The road was relatively empty. It was dark. He felt so detached from his body. The little girl was nowhere to be seen._

Finn swallowed thickly. "And…um…you haven't seen anyone about this or…or told anyone else?"

The brunette shook her head, "This was weeks ago. I have no desire to do it again, even after this is all over. I couldn't do that to my family."

And she did look certain of this. Whenever the word family crossed her lips there was warmth to it. It was one of those things that when someone says they won't do something dangerous even though they'd done it before, you believe them because you know they won't. "You're lucky," Finn said quietly, "you may hate your ability, but at least it gave you a second chance to live. Those other kids in the news didn't have a chance."

Sunshine nodded and wiped her face quickly lest others catch her crying and start to assume things. Once Finn was sure she was okay, he stepped back, unsure of what else to say and they returned to watching Kurt pace back and forth.

"What's your ability?" Sunshine asked suddenly, "now that I've told you mine, or is it just visions?"

_A passing sign informed him that he was leavimg Lima. How could that have happened?_

"I…" Finn shrugged, not sure how to explain it in few words, "I guess…I can hop through dreams and…learn the abilities of others and use them myself. Apate calls it a Dream Wanderer and Empath. Kurt's supposed to have an ability too, but even Apate doesn't know what it is, and so far he hasn't done anything weird which is good because…" he was brought back the documents he stole from the institution, "I need him to stay normal."

It was the strangest thing to say about someone who was anything but normal.

_He was so tired. The clown would come back to haunt him, he was sure of it. He couldn't live like that, even if Kurt could erase him for a little while. He needed a more permanent solution. Something quick and easy._

Sunshine smiled softly, "you really care for him. He is your stepbrother, right? Your parents got married?"

Finn's smile waned at the thought of his parents and the fear of what could have happened to them after he left. Wordlessly he nodded, not wanting to think too much on it. "He's the only thing I have right now."

No he wasn't. He still had Rachel. What was he saying?

"I hope I'm not assuming too much," Sunshine said carefully, "but I don't think it's wrong to care for someone so much as you do for Kurt. I'm sure he feels the same for you too."

"Wha – I – " Finn flushed, "I care about him, but not _in that way_ , he's my brother and…and I have a girlfriend!"

_There was a hill approaching. It could be so easy. Everyone would hate him for it, but it would be for the best._

Sunshine shrugged, unaffected by his flustered outburst. "It's nothing to be ashamed about."

"I'm not gay," he deadpanned. Sunshine blinked up at him.

"I didn't say you were," her eyes glittered with amusement, "and you don't have to be to care for someone, a family should love each other after all." Finn blushed, realizing he was jumping into conclusions. She was only talking about family love, not…not _love_ love. "But…if you thought I was talking about… _liking_ him, then maybe you do, there's nothing wrong with that either."

"But I don't – "

"They call it something here," she went on thoughtfully, "a…Freudian slip? Saying something you subconsciously want by accident? I don't fully understand it, psychology's not my strongest subject even at home, but I think that's what you did just now," she smiled triumphantly, feeling a little proud of herself that she utilized something she learned in America. "You secretly love Kurt!"

_He shut his eyes and sighed tiredly. Kurt's face appearing in the darkness of his mind. Funny it would have to be him and not anyone else._

Sighing, Finn decided he was losing this battle and went back to focusing his attention to Kurt, only to self consciously look at the floor so Sunshine wouldn't take it as more evidence that he was in love with his stepbrother.

Because he wasn't, those dreams were just putting weird ideas in his head.

Finally, after another five minutes, Kurt rejoined them with a relieved smile. "It took me a while, Jeff's actually run off to Ireland, but Nick's going to pick you up in Pittsburgh. He was actually on his way out of Ohio because of the quarantine, but I managed to convince him to stay a little longer to get you."

"Pittsburgh?" Sunshine frowned lightly.

"Yeah," Kurt nodded, walking them over to the ticket booth. "Nick actually has family here and he likes to travel by public transit, he knows this place like the back of his hand. You'll be taking a bus to Pittsburgh where he'll come get you," Sunshine and Finn nodded dumbly, both thinking of the awesomeness that was Kurt's connections, "all you have to do is wait at the station, you won't be waiting long, he's on his way right now."

"I…" Sunshine tried to think of the right words to say, but she was tearing up again, "thank you," she managed to say, "thank you so much," she pulled him into a hug that startled him into letting out an awkward laugh.

"You're welcome," he said warmly, turning over to the bored looking woman behind the ticket booth.

Finn couldn't help grinning. After running away from Apate officials, Sam's betrayal, and going under disguise, he finally felt a bit of accomplishment. Sunshine may have only been one person, but they were able to save her. It was a small ray of hope that perhaps this journey wouldn't be completely wasted. He hadn't felt this good about himself in a long while, so he tried to hold on to that happiness a little longer.

_Kurt's smile would be the last thing on his mind before the end of everything. He didn't mind one bit. Why was he crying?_

"Thank you. For having this conversation with me."

"Hm?" he turned to Sunshine. She was smiling softly, her eyes brimming with more tears, but of happiness. A stark difference from just a few moments ago. She was practically glowing.

"It saved my life," she shrugged. "I haven't seen that little girl since I talked to you."

Alice?

Finn blinked, and nodded slowly, not sure if that was his own doing. Alice liked to show up at irregular times. She would probably pop up as soon as he parted from Sunshine. Unless this was what Suzy meant about helping everyone. Get them to stop seeing Alice, and they would be fine. But the last time someone told him he saved them just by talking to them was in a dream.

Was this…?

Kurt turned back to them, ticket in hand. "You're bus is in a half hour, that's enough time to grab snacks and a good book to pass the time."

It had been a long while since Finn held Kurt's hand and yet no monsters appeared.

He watched as his stepbrother lead them off to a snack shop, just a few feet away to be out of earshot. Finn leaned over to Sunshine.

"Am I dreaming?" he whispered, knowing how weird that sounded.

Sunshine hummed contemplatively. "I think _I'm_ dreaming. You are visiting."

"What – "

"It's strange, but you don't feel like something I've created," she looked up at him, slightly troubled, but not too bothered by this. "You know how sometimes when you're dreaming, if you think hard enough, you can change your dream?" Finn nodded, recalling a few nightmares and then willing them into funny dreams even though he still woke up in the end, "I've been trying to change this one, but it won't happen, it feels too real, but I know I'm sleeping in Nick's car. This dream feels special."

"So…where am I?" he muttered more to himself, worry creeping up in him.

"Where are you supposed to be?" Sunshine smiled knowingly.

"With Kurt," he frowned. If this was a dream and Sunshine was with Nick, he and Kurt should be on their way to Youngstown. To Ella.

"Exactly," the short girl grinned, "because that is where you belong. With Kurt."

He wasn't making much sense over what she was saying. His face probably said it because she giggled. "Are you saying I belong with Kurt because we're traveling together or…" his face turned a little warm, "or something else."

Sunshine shrugged. She looked at Kurt who was busily looking over a bookcase of cheesy romance novels. Finn hadn't realized they were already in the shop. He even had a small bag of gummy bears in his hand. Ones that seemed oddly familiar.

_He opened his eyes in time to see a tree approaching. The next second he didn't know what was up or down._

"This is probably going to sound horrible," Sunshine said soberly, "especially since you have a girlfriend…but you only live once, and you don't know for how long. If you love Kurt, why not explore it instead of ignoring it and wondering years later of what could have been? I tried to kill myself without thinking of how it would affect everyone dear to me, now that I have a second chance, I will not throw it away," she said firmly, "you should take this chance of being alive too."

There was something very peculiar about Sunshine's choice of words. But before Finn could think too deeply on it, he woke up.

…

The gentle rumble of the engine greeted him as he surfaced to consciousness, followed by the warmth of the sun shining on his face. He felt stiff, as if he were wrapped in thick layers and hadn't moved for the longest time.

So many layers and he was still cold.

Opening his eyes cautiously, Finn lifted his head only to wince at the ache in his neck that left him immobile for a few seconds. Gritting his teeth he fought against the pain and looked up, blinking against the afternoon sun that blinded him.

They were on a road. The day was gray and oddly barren despite the sun. Wisps of vapor trailed behind the few cars that drove past. All hints of a cold winter.

"Morning sunshine."

Flinching in surprise, Finn turned to the driver who was smiling in amusement, eyes locked on the road. "Kurt…" he whispered.

Everything was just like the dream. The sun hitting his stepbrother in all the right angles. The crappiness of the car's radiator. As far as he could tell their stash of food had dwindled, and they were on their way to…to Youngstown.

And Kurt. He was the driver again.

"Kurt," he said again, unable to take his eyes off him. Was it supposed to happen now? Was he supposed to say he loved him, even though he was sure his feelings were purely brotherly?

Kurt glanced at Finn with a light frown. "What's wrong?" He raised his eyebrows in excitement, "did you have a special dream?"

"I…" he rubbed his eyes, trying to get back to reality. "Yeah, it was Sunshine…I…" he trailed off, recalling two major points of the dream. One that she was convinced he was in love with Kurt. And two…

That she tried to kill herself.

And he…

Her reasons had nothing to do with her abilities, but Finn's had. The day he met Alice he was ready to get any help he could get, even if it was something so unreal as magic candy.

But at the same time…the visions were becoming worse, especially in Apate, heightening to horrifying scenic changes. There were times when he wouldn't have minded ending it all if it meant no longer suffering hallucinations.

And that accident. He remembered now. Sunshine helped him remember.

He remembered feeling trapped and helpless.

But the only thing that kept him going was the thought of being with his family again.

Seeing Kurt again.

Finn swallowed thickly, recalling now with a clearer head that whenever Kurt visited, he never wanted him to leave. Even when Rachel was there she would always be in the background.

He never really gave her one thought. It was always Kurt.

Kurt was his reason to live.

Unconsciously, Finn touched the ornament still hanging around his neck. It looked silly, but he hadn't let go of it since he'd gotten it. It was a reminder of what was waiting for him after this was all over.

Kurt took Finn's hand, the long silence leaving him uneasy. "What about Sunshine?" he asked gently. "Is she safe?"

"Yeah…I…" He swallowed again, nerves and shame threatening to overwhelm him. "I have to tell you something."

Kurt squeezed his hand, curiosity etched in his face. "What is it?"

He took a deep breath, his body aching more with what he was about to say. "I said I didn't remember what happened the night of the accident right?" At Kurt's confused nod he went on. "I remember now. I was falling asleep but I knew where I was. I saw the hill, the tree – and I could have avoided it but I didn't, I hit the gas instead."

"Finn," Kurt breathed, growing pale, "what are you – "

"I'm saying…it wasn't an accident."

A heavy silence followed this. As much as Kurt wanted to focus all his attention to Finn, he kept his eyes on the road. He tightened his grip on the wheel, but he could barely feel it, his heart was pounding loudly against his ears, clouding his visions with memories of the policeman at the door, rushing the hospital, seeing Finn all cut up and terrified...

"I wanted to die..."


	17. Dreams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finn visits Kurt's dream. Uncertain feelings surface.

…

Chapter Seventeen

Dreams

…

The quarantine had worked better than Laurence expected. No one had much time to panic and leave before he was at their doors and directing them to the vans. It helped that his ability had kept them calm, but it also took a lot out of him after using it over and over again.

Which was why he was making a trip back to Apate for some rest. Of course by rest that meant he would be going over the list of kids collected over the past few days.

Just as the car stopped in front of the blinding white building, his phone vibrated at his hip. Sighing, the slender man fished it out and answered, slipping out of the car and marching importantly inside the institution.

_"He's lost contact with him in Youngstown."_ A calm almost seductive voice greeted him. Laurence narrowed his eyes.

"Should I tell Jackie? It could be dangerous if we leave him there alone," he muttered, breezing past a few nurses that walked his way. The hall was basically made of windows overlooking the rec center below where a much larger amount of kids were gathered, unaware of their captor walking above him. The man frowned. He'd need to get more guards to keep the place secure.

_"Leaving him alone could still work in our favor. He's determined to find me and honestly, I'd like to meet him as well. Just not yet."_

The door to his office recognized him approaching and opened automatically, letting him inside. Lights flickered on revealing his expansive office with one glass wall that showed him the rec center. The wall on the other side was one giant computer system that had helped him greatly in finding the infected and determining how to weaken them if necessary. Bypassing all this, the man sat down behind his polished black desk and popped open his laptop, easily pulling up a file on the second person to ever escape Apate.

"He's developed far quicker than we've ever anticipated," he said darkly into the phone, "the final remnants of Suzy Pepper's soul have been like a teacher to him. It won't be long until he's able to do what she wasn't. Whoever's in Youngstown may be able to get him to accomplish it."

_"And what was it that she was trying to do?"_

He felt a little embarrassed saying it, but he said it anyway. "Becoming a human Cerebro."

_"Cerebro?"_ even through the phone Laurence could tell her face was twisting in confusion, the word leaving her mouth like she tasted something nasty.

"You know," he flushed, "X-Men?"

_"Oh…original,"_ was the flat reply.

"It sounds stupid, but Suzy was almost able to accomplish this had Hudson not been in that accident."

_"And whoever's in Youngstown is powerful enough to block out any mental interception from us,"_ she murmured more to herself. Laurence waited quietly, hoping his advice would finally be taken. Youngstown was the only place that they were unable to take full control of after capturing one victim. They didn't worry too much on it because whoever blocked them out kept to themselves and did nothing to stall Apate's growing success. Now, however, Hudson was there, and it could prove fatal to them if they didn't do anything. _"Drive him out with Sam. He need not be taken directly to me, but give him false hope that he escaped us again."_

"I'll call Jackie," he replied, relief flooding him once the line went dead. He looked at the computer screen with a deep frown.

Finn Hudson had stolen important documents regarding most of the infected residents of Lima. Having been prepared for this, the hypnotist wasn't that worried about the loss of those profiles. His paranoia and meditative planning served him to encrypt the files Finn stole so they were rendered unreadable. The files he found in the Berry house were merely distorted pieces of the original. Even if Finn had the documents in his hands, it would take a genius to decode it and the boy was far from that.

The original files were safely tucked away in his password protected USB. One of which he was now reading.

_Name: Finn Hudson_

_Age: 17_

_Ability: Dream Wanderer/Empath_

_Type: Strand Two_

Laurence clicked the edit button and changed Strand One to Strand Three.

_Unique among all Wanderer's in that he had been infected while conscious on the fifth of July, 2010. His organisms accepted the infection later in the year, beginning in dreams and finally coming to fruition by communicating with another Wanderer. It's important to note that side effects are not physical, unlike others infected before him, instead taking form of hallucinations that are remnants of dreams and nightmares of anyone around him at the time. This is most likely due to the unusual nature of his infection. He will be taken in for further study and then sent to Babylon in the case that his genetic makeup is beneficial to the mission of Apate._

Laurence went on to add to the short paragraph.

_Empathetic abilities have started taking effect though it is unknown whether they have been working long before that without our knowledge. On both escapes he has shown to have learned Peter Sato's phasing ability both through dreams and reality. From this it can be gathered that he can learn and copy abilities by being in contact with the person displaying it. However, when using the learned ability in reality, he suffers the same physical side effects as all other victims. Whether these side effects are unique only to him (migraines), or they depend on whatever side effect the original victim has (blindness, nausea, fainting, etc) remains to be seen._

Laurence's thoughtful frown deepened.

_Should Hudson come across a person with healing abilities, it is highly possible that he'll be able to achieve what no other Wanderer before him could: World Wide Cerebral Network. Such an accomplishment will give him the advantage of pinpointing all infected victims individually or at the same time without physically weakening himself or the need to be unconscious thus his status changing from Strand Two to Strand Three. While this could be beneficial in finding the Anomaly, it could also cripple Apate's efforts for world peace._

Done for now, Laurence saved his information and left the desk, his nerves making him walk towards the window as if to ensure himself that he was doing his job well and proficiently.

The crowd of teenagers wandering around soothed him. Preparations for accommodating such a large amount of patients had been completed on schedule months ago, so the place wasn't as claustrophobic as he feared. However, it would still be too small for the incoming mass of victims still to come. Hopefully by the end of the week construction on sister institutions would be complete.

Looking around for a few minutes he spotted the small group he remembered were Finn's friends. They were huddled by the door, talking amongst themselves with grim faces. They were the only depressing group among the crowd, which wasn't a surprise. Being associated with Finn Hudson, they were probably a little more informed of the darker aspect of Apate. He would have to change that.

Apate was not as evil as they thought. They had to do what they could to make their dream come true.

No wars. No pollution, or poverty or pain.

Just peace.

World peace.

With that thought in mind, Laurence smiled to himself. Finn's friends would understand once he spoke with them. They may even feel a little privileged that he was divulging such secret information to them.

The smile slipped.

It took him a moment, but he spotted him. Ebony skin standing out against the standard white pajamas every patient wore. His serious face much older with wisdom and pain than Laurence remembered. The hypnotist couldn't believe it. It had been months since he'd last seen him but he was here. Back in this institution.

He couldn't breathe.

The boy looked up, dark eyes glaring right through his soul. A promise that everything he worked for would be destroyed.

Matt Rutherford.

…

They arrived at Youngstown in silence. Nothing out of the ordinary happened except for Finn's revelation that the accident had indeed been a genuine suicide attempt. There were no smiles, no quiet contentment, not even the epiphany of feelings being more than they seemed.

There was no kissing.

Instead they drove through the streets of Youngstown all day, not really looking at anything or finding anything before the sun started setting and they decided to call it a day and stop at an Economy Inn. It cost them a little more than Kurt would have liked, but it was cleaner than the motels so he couldn't complain that much.

Dumping his bag on the bed near the curtained window, Kurt slumped down next to Finn and took his hand, knowing his brother wasn't seeing monsters, but wanting to comfort him anyway. The silence they brought with them carried on for a few more minutes before he gave up and asked.

"What you told me before we got here…do you still want to – "

"No, I…" Finn answered quickly, flushing, "no. Not anymore."

"Good," Kurt nodded, looking down at their clasped hands. They hadn't been eating the healthiest of foods, but he could see that Finn's arms weren't as skinny as before. Granted, he was far from being the healthy boy he used to be it was still a step.

He also didn't seem as frightened as before, but Kurt figured that was because the very idea of Babylon had filled Finn with the hope that everything would fix itself.

Barely three days since they left home and they still weren't out of Ohio. What exactly were they supposed to do here? In Mansfield they received help from Matt, in Akron they helped Sunshine, but here they were supposed to meet someone named Ella. All of these happenings were from luck, nothing really planned, especially with Sunshine who hadn't been expecting to literally crash into them either.

Kurt was starting to feel that more should have happened in the cities they visited. Something more substantial since they were places some random kid told Finn.

He was about to say this when Finn spoke up first.

"Do you think my dreams can predict the future?"

He blinked up at Finn owlishly. "Uh…I guess? Half of your abilities are about dreams; maybe the parts on your profile that I couldn't read were about you also being precognitive."

"Oh…" Finn mumbled, looking away. There was something bothering him, but he seemed embarrassed to say it. Kurt was starting to fear that maybe Finn had dreamt of the apocalypse or something when he spoke up again, more quietly, as if afraid someone else might be listening in. "It's just…I don't know why…this never happened before…I mean I've had one or two dreams of Quinn and Rachel…and one weird one with Santana. Not like wet dreams, just…you know, nice ones where they're just with me and…" he huffed, his rambling making it hard for him to outright say it. "And I didn't think much on it before because they're just dreams right? I mean you're a part of my life now, you're my brother and all, right?"

"Yes," Kurt said slowly, trying to piece together what Finn was trying to say.

"I mean…is it weird that I…" he flushed and stared at his lap, "I'm not even sure when it started, but every night I've…you're….when I dream, you're always in it," he didn't look up to see Kurt's reaction, "I know I've told you before, but…now I feel like these dreams are trying to tell me something…like I should…" he couldn't say it.

Even after telling Kurt what he remembered from the accident, the dreams of the drive to Youngstown were still replaying in his head. Every second that passed as they got closer to the town had left him with a growing ache in his chest.

Disappointment.

The only contact Kurt gave him was his hand in his, and with some shame Finn found himself craving more than that.

Maybe it was because the situation drove him to these desires and gave him those dreams. They were running away together, in disguise, and with the constant fear that they would be caught. It was creating so much tension that the only way to get release was to find comfort in each other.

Or maybe it was because after two years Kurt was started to look less like a baby, and more like a young man. A young man with a warm smile, slender yet powerful arms, and legs to kill. Finn swallowed, his heart pounding and his face burning. He didn't think it was possible, but he knew, as much as he wanted to deny it, that he was starting become attracted to his own brother.

And it was all because of those dreams. They hadn't even gotten to the point of sex, but already Finn wasn't completely adverse to the idea and that was what really freaked him out.

Then of course there was Rachel and how quickly she'd gone to the back of his mind. Before Apate it was hard not to think of her. This whole thing was completely unfair to her. She'd been the perfect girlfriend to him, even after he gave her a concussion, and now he was having these thoughts for Kurt.

Finn grimaced, a familiar self loathing coiling within him. He shouldn't have said anything. He couldn't do this to Kurt or Rachel. What was wrong with him?

"Finn?" Kurt's hand slipped out of his and slid up to his shoulder, quietly demanding his attention. Unable to resist, Finn turned to him and found himself staring into concerned teal eyes. Almost immediately his gaze drifted down to a pair of lips lightly tinged in pink, parted slightly with a question about to leave it. They were nothing like Rachel's plump curvy lips, and yet he couldn't help but be drawn to them.

Kurt watched with growing concern as Finn slowly inched closer to him. His breath stilted as his brother's warmth enveloped him and sent butterflies swarming in his stomach. Something was wrong. There was no way Finn would…

"Finn?" he couldn't keep panic from his voice. Half of him wanted to lean in, but the logical side had him leaning back and away the closer the taller boy got. "W-what are you doing?"

That seemed to bring Finn back to his senses. He pulled back sharply, too embarrassed to look Kurt in the eye. "Sorry," he mumbled. "I don't know what…" he let out a shaky breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding, "I don't know what I'm doing anymore."

Kurt swallowed thickly, heart drumming against his ribcage. Was Finn really going to kiss him? It took him a minute to convince himself that Finn wasn't gay. That this whole trip wasn't going to suddenly make him want to jump in the sack with him, and even if it was, Kurt would only be a temporary replacement for Rachel.

But Finn wasn't that cruel.

He was a teenager, but he knew not to take advantage of Kurt. Not with the history they had.

"Well…these dreams," he started a bit shakily, "you're a Dream Wanderer so they must have some kind of meaning to it. What are they about?"

Finn blushed, he really shouldn't have said anything. "Stuff," he mumbled unhelpfully, clasping his hands on his lap nervously. Apparently it wasn't that good of an answer because he felt Kurt's sharp intake of breath next to him and knew he was already assuming the worst. "I mean…nothing bad, but. It's…different," he settled, "and…nice."

The blush on his cheeks burned harder. Suffering hallucinations and running away from a mental institution still hadn't helped him in thinking before speaking.

"Nice?"

Something about the light way Kurt said it made Finn's urges return. It had been almost a year since they forgave each other about the basement fight, and gotten past the whole crush thing. And yet now Kurt sounded just bit too hopeful. As if maybe he hadn't completely gotten over his feelings as he thought.

And suddenly the urges weren't just urges anymore. They were cravings. More than that, they tingled at every nerve in Finn's body. He felt oddly happy, nervous, and excited at the same time. Suddenly things were starting to make sense. It was okay that he dreamt of Kurt all the time, that he was the reason he didn't want to die. Or that right now all he wanted to do was to hold him down on this stiff bed with its tacky flowery sheets and kiss him so hard they'd see stars for a week.

Because even though Rachel was his girlfriend who loved him and cared for him, Kurt was always there to comfort him when he was at his lowest. He'd always make time for him late at night with a cup of warm milk so they could just talk and figure things out without judgment or fights. And he had a feeling that if he felt there was nowhere else for him to go, Kurt would help him build his own path whereas Rachel would tell him not to worry, he would have her by his side so his future was perfectly fine.

…Maybe it wasn't just the dreams.

"Yeah," he said finally, "sometimes I don't wanna wake up because then it'd be over."

He dared a glance at Kurt. His face was pink, and there was a glazed look in his eyes. Was he thinking about what the dreams could have been about? Did this mean he still had feelings for him?

"You do realize what you're saying, right?" he said softly.

…

Just like that he opened his eyes to a pale ceiling lit by what little sun could seep through the cracks of the thick red curtains. His chest was heaving, his whole body tingling at what was about to – what _should_ have happened.

No.

It was a dream.

A stupid. Fucking. _Dream!_

He wanted to cry. It had all felt so real! It should not have been a dream! Why couldn't it be real!

He couldn't hold back the tiny whimper. He'd finally plucked up the courage to talk about the dreams he'd been having only to have it turn out to be a dream as well. He was so sure it was real. The bed felt stiff, the air stale and chilly. Kurt's warm breath ghosting over his face the closer and _closer_ he got…

But he remembered now. After driving around Youngstown all day they called it quits and stopped the Inn. No deep discussion or near kisses. Actually, Kurt seemed uncomfortable being in the same room as him. Finn hadn't known what to say so he settled on going to bed and trying to sleep. He thought his nerves would keep him awake for hours, but as soon as he shut his eyes, the exhaustion of constant fear and running took him well away from consciousness.

Damnit it wasn't fair. His dreams were becoming too real for him to make any kind of difference.

"Finn?"

Pushing himself to sit up, he looked to the bed next to him. Kurt was still against sleeping under the sheets and had opted as usual to lie over one of his shirts. He was turned to his side, facing him, looking confused and terrified. Sitting up as well, Kurt ran a hand through his face trying to calm himself. He looked as though he'd had a nightmare.

"The first motel we went to," he started, swallowing thickly, "you told me…that you'd always dreamt of me. What were those dreams about?"

What?

Kurt easily read his expression because he flushed, "I know it's a weird question, but I have to know…I had this weird dream and…I don't know, I just want some peace of mind."

"A weird dream?" his heart quickened. Oh god. Had he jumped into Kurt's dream without realizing it? It wasn't impossible, he'd done it with a bunch of other people, the problem was he wasn't aware of it. He licked his lips, "were we in this room?"

Kurt's embarrassment melted into dawning realization. "You were talking about your dreams and how you sometimes didn't want to wake up…" he seemed to want to say more, but he snapped his mouth shut and got out of bed. Finn watched as he stuffed on his beat up converse sneakers, pointedly keeping his face from him. "They're just dreams, they don't mean anything."

He said it so coldly that it caught Finn off guard. Indignant, he tore away the sheets and followed Kurt to their bags which had been thrown haphazardly on the floor. " _What?_ 'Don't mean anything'? You're the one who keeps telling me that my dreams are special because I – "

"I meant the ones about me!" Kurt yelled, turning sharply to him. Finn jerked back in surprise, almost expecting to be slapped. Kurt immediately regretted it, and went back to his bag. He didn't need anything from it, he just needed something to keep him busy. "Obviously they're making you start thinking about…things and…this whole trip has been stressing for both of us. Lima's on Quarantine, Rachel isn't here, so you're turning to the next best thing," his voice was shaking.

"That's not true," but he wasn't so sure, because he knew the truth as well. He knew he cared deeply for Kurt. Before the dreams, he'd only seen him as a friend. Even now he wasn't sure what he was feeling was purely desperation for intimacy, or genuine feelings for Kurt.

"You have a bad habit of letting your emotions make your decisions," Kurt smiled sadly, staring down at the faded Batman shirt Matt had given him. It was two sizes too big, and must have gone through several fast food battles given the telltale oil stains. The chipping bat logo melted as his eyes filled up with tears. "And you're wrong," he said softly, "I may be realistic, but I never stop thinking about romance. Running away together in a beat up old car, making pit stops at cheap motels – do you know how hard it is to get over a crush?" he risked looking up at Finn. He looked so pained that he looked back down again. "I was doing fine with us being brothers – I had Blaine…" a strange look crossed his face at the thought of his Warbler friend. It was the first time in what felt like ages since he crossed his mind. After the chaos of leaving Lima he didn't know whether Blaine was still in the hospital or if he had been transferred to Apate. "I was so happy when I met Blaine. He understood me…listened to me," his lip trembled threateningly, "and he was gay. Why are you doing this? I finally get over you and you turn around and say you might be feeling something after all because of a few dreams!?"

"Kurt – "

Zipping his bag closed, Kurt threw it on his bed and marched determinedly to the door, "I need some air," he muttered, wiping his eyes before they could release any tears. He didn't get very far. As soon as he tried to get past the taller boy, Finn grabbed him by the arm and pulled him back.

"Wait," he said desperately, keeping a tight hold on Kurt, "I'm sorry, I just – "

He didn't want to listen. This was just as bad as the fight in the basement. He yanked at his arm with all his might and sent Finn stumbling backwards. His knees bumped into the foot of his bed and with Kurt trying to break free he fell, pulling him with him. In the split second in which he let out an undignified shriek, Kurt had the wild hope that he would fall on top of Finn and on a stroke of fate, land his lips on his by pure accident.

Instead, his elbow jammed into Finn's gut causing him to grunt in pain and twist to the side making Kurt topple over down the floor.

Doing his best to restore his dignity, Kurt stood up and dusted himself. He made a second attempt at leaving again, but Finn grabbed him once more by the shoulders, turning him around and pinning him against the wall.

"I only started dreaming about kissing you," he said heavily, still in pain from where Kurt hit him with his elbow. Kurt stubbornly looked away, unable to stand the intensity in Finn's eyes, "but before that you were just there as my friend. Every time you came to visit me with Rachel I wanted to hug you more than her because…" he couldn't finish. He knew it wasn't because Kurt could take away the hallucinations, he just didn't know how to put it in words.

And he was so close. Just like in the dream.

But this wasn't a dream. He could experience it for real this time.

Kurt would probably punch him in the face for this. But it was his only chance. Maybe things would start making sense, maybe this was meant to happen…

Afraid of chickening out, he dove in and smashed his lips against Kurt's.

Someone squealed in fright. No one moved. One was too shocked, and the other was too afraid to be pushed away. Seconds ticked away like drawn out hours until Kurt snapped into reality and shoved hard at Finn's chest, successfully getting him off, but not completely.

This wasn't what he wanted. This was just like with Karofsky. He'd tried so hard to forget that horrible kiss. He never imagined he'd be reliving it with Finn.

"Stop it," he couldn't keep his voice from trembling. He sounded so small and scared that it frightened Finn.

And that was it. No epiphanies, everything still didn't make sense, and now he really hurt Kurt. The one person who stuck by him.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, feeling out of breath by those two simple words. Kurt kept his eyes on a particularly dark spot on the carpet. Tears were making silent trails down his cheeks and it hurt Finn deep inside to know he was the cause of it. "I'm sorry," he repeated, letting go of Kurt's shoulders to gently take both sides of his face. His forehead touched his, but he didn't go any further, knowing Kurt would flip.

But the thing was he wanted to continue so badly. He'd only had a few seconds of the most awkward kiss of his life, and he felt something. It may not have answered any of his questions, but it was as if something in his head snapped like an electric currant. Faint, but still there with the potential of blowing his mind and it left him wanting more.

Without realizing it, he was leaning in again. Their lips barely brushed before Kurt weakly pushed him away again. It was so half hearted that it only drove Finn to try again.

"No," Kurt turned away, but Finn held his head in place. "No…" he felt his eyes shut at their own accord; he was becoming dizzy with the warmth and smell of Finn invading his senses. His protests weakened away as his lips were gently coaxed into giving entry.

'This can't be happening,' was his last coherent thought before he felt a tongue slide against his.

The one electric shock multiplied by a million, sending waves upon waves of tingling sensations to the tips of his fingers down to the balls of his feet. This was like nothing he had experienced before. He nipped and tugged at Kurt's pliant lips, quickly becoming addicted to the new experience of kissing someone who wasn't experienced, or demanding, or…or even a girl. It felt so forbidden that it felt right. Within seconds Kurt had completely opened up to him, letting him take control. Something he rarely ever got with Rachel or Quinn.

Then Kurt's stilled hands didn't shove at his chest again, they wrapped around his shoulder blades and pulled him close, pressing their bodies together. Someone groaned. Kurt felt his knees weaken; the wall and Finn were the only things holding him up. The sweet exploration of lazily dancing tongues turned desperate the longer they kissed. All the stress of running from the institution, of going in disguise while hopping from town to town not really knowing what to do making itself known.

Hands grappled at hair, gripping and tugging, bruising and rubbing. They breathed heavily in between each desperate kiss, lost within each other and eager to keep going. It was hard to believe that not a minute ago, they'd been arguing over the impossibility of delving into anything further than friends.

But eventually, they finally stopped. They were breathless and still shuddering over the effects they had over each other. It took him a few seconds, but Kurt realized that Finn was mumbling something to him.

"…Don't care if they were dreams, I'll break up with her, just please give me another chance, I'll break up with her, I swear…"

…

The four siblings watched anxiously as their oldest sister stirred herself back to consciousness. It had been almost sixteen hours since she'd fallen asleep, any more and they would start to worry that she'd never wake up. They last time she slept this long she could barely speak let alone get out of bed she was in so much pain.

But they were prepared this time. As soon as they saw her take a deep breath, they set to their jobs. The youngest scooped a generous glop of aloe cream and knead the stiff muscles on her thighs and calves, careful not to press too hard around the ankles, her most sensitive areas. The two others worked on her arms while the second eldest dabbed a cool wet cloth around her sweat dotted face.

She shuddered violently at the pain she woke up to, but her siblings firmly held her down before she could hurt herself. She was a tall person, so it was a feat they were able to keep her in place. Thin breath peeled past her gritted teeth, holding back whimpers of burning pain that stabbed through her body. She opened her eyes, thankful for the darkness of the room and stared up at her brother, his bright pink eyes looking down at her with concern.

"He's here," she said breathlessly, her deep voice barely a whisper. "We don't have much – "

"Shh," her brother soothed, leaning down to kiss her damp forehead, "you've done enough, just wait for the pain to go away and we'll plan everything from there."

Sighing, she winced at a second wave of scorching ache. Knowing her brother was right, she focused on pushing through the pain, the one thing keeping her from going mad the hope that in a few short hours, she would finally meet Finn Hudson.


	18. Ella

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finn finally meets Ella Sato.

…

Chapter Eighteen: Ella

…

The drive to New York was more trouble than Dr. Hope anticipated. His car was running low on gas by the time they left Ohio, which put everyone in danger because more and more cities were going under quarantine. He would have learned this earlier if he had the radio on, but recent reports had Laurence Niac urging people with his frighteningly manipulative voice to stay calm and let Apate take care of things. Having seen the man use his power first hand, Dr. Hope knew not to listen to the radio lest he fall into Laurence's hypnotism like everyone else. Of course that also meant using extreme caution when around hypnotized people. Only teenagers were being taken away, so when they stopped at the nearest gas station, he had to somehow hide Mercedes and Quinn before anyone would jump them.

Tensions were rising as well. They weren't eating the best foods and they had to constantly be on the move or risk getting apprehended by Apate.

Even worse, mother nature seemed to have something against them. No matter how far they drove, or how much time passed, a constant storm would plague them. Not even gentle thunderclaps and heavy rain. There was so much lightening it felt like any second they would be struck. It slowed traffic immensely, forcing their journey to New York to almost come to a stop. One time they gave up and had to sleep at a motel when the storm turned into hail the size of oranges.

"Shouldn't we have been there yesterday?" Quinn asked irritably as they passed a sign welcoming them into Philadelphia. Beside her Mercedes sighed and scowled at the golf sized rain drops hitting the glass.

"It's been taking longer than I planned," Dr. Hope admitted, though he said this many times before, "the storm and the new quarantines have held us back – it's ridiculous, this rain, it hasn't let up at all!"

This only seemed to irritate Quinn more, but she kept from snapping something sarcastic and sat back against the smelly seat that hadn't stopped nauseating her since the start of the trip. She felt like she was going to explode. The constant showers of rain; having to hide all the time when adults were around. A few days ago she had plans to hit the mall with Mercedes once her session with Dr. Hope was over. Now she couldn't help the little monster inside her blaming Mercedes for dragging her into this mess. It was making her madder and madder every time she thought about it.

But she knew if she said anything Mercedes would snap back just as angrily. She could argue with Rachel all she wanted, but sometimes, picking a fight with the self proclaimed diva was just not a wise choice. So she kept quiet and sulked in her smelly seat.

Thunder cracked at its loudest after a giant claw of lightening lit up the sky.

…

They were driving around Youngstown again. Finn was sure this wasn't a dream because not two minutes after leaving the motel he saw a horde of giant locusts coming down to attack. It almost made him forget what happened in their room, but once Kurt held his hand to wipe away the killer bugs, it all came back and he flushed in quiet contentment.

Kurt hadn't let go of him ever since.

They didn't talk for the longest while. Kurt didn't know what he was looking for, so he just focused on driving every which way while Finn looked around the streets for a tall black girl similar to the one in his dream. It didn't strike him until they reached a small park that this girl was supposed to be Peter's sister.

Peter, the red headed little white kid who could walk through walls.

This gave Finn pause for two seconds. He hadn't really thought about it before, but the first time Peter mentioned a sister, he assumed it was a freckly ginger haired girl version of the kid. Then again, Peter or Ella could have been adopted or married into the family. He had no idea, but now he was really intrigued about seeing her.

Kurt took a deep breath, breaking the silence, "So…how is this Ella going to help us?"

Finn blinked in surprise at the sudden question. They had been quiet for so long any noise would have startled him. "I-I don't know," he managed to say. "I don't know anything, I'm just going with my gut right now."

Kurt's eyes saddened, but he didn't turn away from the road. "I know."

He looked back at the window, his lips suddenly tingling in memory of their feverish kiss. It felt just as exciting as when he kissed Rachel. She may have been demanding, and sweet at the same time, but the reason it felt like a rush of adrenaline was because she wasn't the popular head cheerleader everyone expected him to be dating. She was the weird loner kid at the bottom of the social ladder. Being with her was like defying logic, it was exhilarating.

And kissing Kurt had felt the same, if not even more so because he was a boy. He was like some kind of forbidden fruit that not only made Finn want more, but also made him forget himself. He didn't know how else to describe it, but that's how he felt, and it was maddening that Kurt hadn't said anything about it since leaving the Inn.

He wanted to kiss him again.

That feeling of adrenaline at knowing he was doing something wrong but enjoying it anyway…he wanted to feel it again.

He wanted Kurt to want it just as badly as he did.

"Kurt, I…" he cleared his throat, cheeks brightening at the thought of kissing the other boy again. "About what happened at the Inn…"

Kurt shut his eyes briefly as they came to a stop at a red light, he was thinking about going around back to the park when the silence had broken again, "Finn – "

"I really don't know what's going on with me," he cut in quickly, licking his lips nervously, "but I've never felt anything like how I kissed you – I…I know after everything you want to move on but…I want to _try_. What if we really are – "

"You're. With. _Rachel_ ," Kurt said heatedly, slowly turning to glare at him. Finn sheepishly sank in his seat. "What we did…after I clearly said _no –_ "

"You kissed me back!" Someone behind them honked. Kurt pursed his lips and hit the gas, going back around to the park as he intended. "And after what we did – what we're going through," Finn swallowed thickly, "I can't do this to her anymore. I hit her, I've been thinking and dreaming about you and…it's not fair to her."

"It isn't fair to me either," Kurt said softly. Finn's hand loosened in his in disappointment. "I mean we're brothers now and…" he sighed and parked the car in front of a small house that looked like a flowery pink doll house. He couldn't think like this and drive, he'd hit another kid again. "I still love you," he whispered, "but you're going through a lot right now, feelings are bound to go haywire, especially with me being your only constant companion."

"But – "

"Finn, please," Kurt smile sadly, turning to him. He looked so silly with his puppy eyes and red hair, but it still hurt to look at him after what happened, "when all this is over and we go home, you'll find Rachel waiting for you and you'll wonder why you ever kissed me." He shook his head, throat closing up, "whatever you're feeling for me, it won't last."

"But what if we don't go back home," Finn mumbled, his chest clenching at Kurt's words. The silence that followed was deafening. Kurt didn't seem to understand what he was insinuating. "I'm only one person, escaping the institution almost killed me. Now I'm going back in?" he bit his lip, realization of this finally hitting him, "even if I do save everyone, what are the chances of me getting out alive?"

"Stop it," Kurt whispered sharply, "if you say anything – "

"But it's true!" Kurt jumped in surprise, not expecting Finn to raise his voice. "I'm running into the place that made my life hell! Suzy _died_ fighting them! Using the same ability I have!" He took a few deep breaths, his heart racing the more he came to see that this really was a dangerous mission. "I don't want to die without at least giving this a chance I…" He wanted to say more but he couldn't, his throat closed up and Kurt took him in his arms.

Damn. He was crying again wasn't he?

"You're not going to die," Kurt said firmly, running a soothing hand through his ginger dyed hair, "when this is all over we're going back home, and you're going to put this on the tree," he gently ran his hand over the ornament that was hidden underneath Finn's shirt. "We'll have our first Christmas together as a family. Apate will be gone and we can go back to having normal lives again, you're not going to _die_."

Finn couldn't say anything. All he could do was listen and welcome the warmth of Kurt's hug. His senses were invaded by his faint scent of vanilla. Somewhere in the back of his mind he recalled Kurt's relief over finding one of his travel sized lotions in his bag. The bottle was full, but Kurt had been careful to use a little bit a day. He relented to wearing cheap clothes, and giving up his skin regime for the time being, but he couldn't stand smelling like sweat and cheap soap. Now that he'd calmed down somewhat, the subtle scent made Finn dizzy.

It felt like hours had passed since silence fell on them again. Eventually they started feeling cramps in their awkward positions and reluctantly started pulling away.

"I want to kiss you again," Finn blurted out before he could stop himself. Kurt's eyes widened, a blush washing over his face.

"You're never giving up are you?" he said softly. A small gasp escaped him when Finn gently touched his cheek. His thumb trailed over his bottom lip, making him breathless and tingly all over.

And they were kissing again. Slow and steady, as if tasting each other for the first time. Finn was treating him so tenderly that Kurt almost wanted to whimper. This was what he'd always wanted. A slow exploration filled with care and love that swallowed him whole and had him floating in the clouds.

It was almost a shame when the kiss ended. Kurt almost pulled him back in until he remembered that he wasn't supposed to let this happen.

"I'm serious," Finn muttered against Kurt's reddened lips, the tips of their noses just barely brushing. "I'll break up with Rachel. For you."

Oh god.

Kurt turned away, unable to look at Finn any longer without going blank and having him this instant.

The fluttering feeling vanished like a cold shower.

There was a tall very oddly dressed girl standing right in front of the car, her face hidden under her huge hat and the shadow of her pink frilly umbrella.

...

Four other locations had opened across the country. One in California, another in Texas, a third in Florida, and a fourth in New York. All were equal in size of the first institution and were gaining hundreds of patients by the minute. It was amazing how many teenagers there were in the country.

And there were many more still in hiding. Waiting. Praying.

They were also the most dangerous ones.

Matt had learned all this from listening in on the sparse conversations exchanged between nurses. Rumors were going around that victims were popping up around the world. Not surprising considering how much people traveled. What got his attention though, were the whispers around the halls. Even the nurses were treating this piece of gossip like a dirty secret best kept in the closet.

Strand Three victims were now overtaking Strand One and Two victims.

This could prove a disaster to both Apate and Matt's search to a cure.

The way he remembered it, Strand One and Two victims suffered side effects when using their abilities in reality. Strand One on the physical side, and Two on the mental. Strand Three, however, suffered little to no side effects. Victims of this strand could use their abilities as much as they wanted, sometimes without realizing they're using it.

With that kind of power, one could be capable of anything.

On that note Matt shared Apate's fear of such people. Side effects or no, these abilities needed to be erased. They weren't natural, and from what he'd seen and heard, they could kill the victim themselves.

Just as it had killed Suzy.

At the thought of his lost friend, Matt grimaced and turned away from the blank wall he'd been staring at for the past hour. No matter how he looked at it, he still couldn't believe Suzy was gone. Their communication hadn't stopped in dreams, and he never saw the body, so he supposed it was because of that. Nevertheless it was going to hurt like a bitch once this was over and she wouldn't be there to share the high five they'd promised to make.

_They were given their last dosage of Pollen for the day. It wasn't as heavy as the other shots, so they felt strong enough to walk around and stay conscious a few more hours. His room had been decorated to his liking, and he was enjoying a few videos on youtube when Suzy walked in and threw herself over his messy bed._

_He looked over his laptop, but only saw her mousy hair spilled over the pillow she dragged over to lie on. She was in pain._

_Shutting his computer he leaned over her and touched her shoulder gingerly._

_"It's not as bad as before," she said shakily, voice muffled partway against the pillow. "I think I'm getting the hang of it."_

_"You should rest in your room," Matt said, brows knitted with worry._

_"It's cool," she waved him off, "I wanted to tell you what I found out." She took a deep breath, "it's bad. Really bad."_

_"Like we're gonna die bad?" his lip curled, hoping he was wrong._

_"Like epidemic bad."_

_For a while he didn't say anything. Did she mean more people were going to be infected like them? More people might die?_

_This was exactly what they both feared._

_"We're in danger here," he whispered._

_Suzy sighed, her whole body shrinking in exhaustion at the simple motion. "We need to stop this somehow."_

_"How?"_

_"I dunno," she shook her head. Silence fell over them as dread settled into the pair. Matt kept looking around himself hopelessly, as if an idea would pop up and save them, but all he could think of was running away and warning everyone not to trust Apate. "Let's make a promise," Suzy said suddenly, "once this is all over, and we win, we share a high five."_

_"What?" Matt laughed in his growing panic. The pollen must have been taking over Suzy. She'd get like this sometimes when the drug was at its maximum effects._

_"A high five," she said simply, weakly holding up her pinky. "After everything we're going to do, we'll deserve it. Pinky swear."_

_She probably wasn't going to remember any of this by tomorrow. Rolling his eyes, Matt humored her anyway and latched his pinky with hers._

_"Promise."_

The click of the door unlocking snapped Matt from the past. Earlier a nurse had taken him back to his room on orders to keep him from the other patients for the time being. Laurence had probably gotten word that he'd arrived. Just another act of paranoia from the king of paranoia. He'd been waiting for this.

As expected Laurence Niac walked in and locked the door behind him. Pointless since Matt could leave any time he wanted, but it made the man secure. They both knew this.

"Matt Rutherford," Laurence greeted curtly, standing right in front of him, all stiff shoulders and narrowed eyes.

"Cain," Matt greeted back just as coldly. Laurence's eye twitched slightly at the old nickname, but otherwise said nothing.

"You've been away for a long time," he said instead, putting his hands behind his back. He tilted his head slightly, a move meant to create false security, that he wasn't pissed. Might have worked on a three year old. "It was…impossible to locate your movements you were going so fast. California to Kentucky in a matter of seconds? And I hear you took a brief jump to _Spain._ "

"You've been busy too, I see some gray hairs, there's dye for that you know," he couldn't help the small smirk, but Laurence took it in stride.

"I know why you're here," he said, walking over to the barred window, his back towards the teen. Matt snorted, seeing past the man's calm exterior. "I know what you want, and I know you think you have the means to get it. No bars or walls can keep you contained for long."

"You're fault for giving me that power."

"You know we can't control that," he laughed, turning back to him, "out of every careful plan we've made, we were never able to control what ability to give. It's all circumstance, timing, and emotion." He paused, looking down at Matt's scowl, the hate in their eyes so thick it was palpable. "We've made mistakes, I'll admit it, but we're working on finding a cure and keeping all victims safe."

"You're creating genocide – "

"We are _preventing_ genocide," Laurence cut in angrily, his collected face melting for a second. "There is more to Apate than you understand, Matt, destroy all that and the world will be left with its last hope snuffed out. You try to get people to turn against us, but in the end they'll turn against each other and turn this disease into something much worse than your perceived genocide. What's needed is careful organized planning – foolproof methods in keeping every single person safe and out of harms way until a cure has been found and we can all be at peace again."

"Alison Valley."

Laurence paled, eyes widening a fraction at the name. A name he hadn't heard in a long time. "How do you know that name?" his voice wavered.

"You said it yourself," Matt shrugged nonchalantly, "'no bars or walls can keep me contained'." The CEO clenched his teeth, but kept from showing anymore signs of anger. This was why Matt both pissed him off and terrified him at the same time. "It was three of you wasn't it? Fabulous trio? One was immune, the other changed her name and took a holiday, and the other," he looked him up and down with disgust, "survived."

It seemed to end anymore conversation, but Laurence refused to leave defeated. As he walked out the door he recalled one juicy bullet that would drive through Matt's heart.

"The coroner wasn't sure what Suzy's cause of death was. She was healthy, mentally stable – happy, even if her only friend was you, no signs of suicide – "

"Shut up," Matt hissed, hands curling into fists. He did _not_ want to hear this from _him._

"I assume you know the reason was overexerting her ability to the point of death chillingly similar to SIDS. But you don't know why," a feeling of glee started to fill him at how well Matt was taking this. "She died on the same night Finn Hudson took a drive while under the effects of sleeping pills." He could see it now, the dawning realization curling against the frustration in Matt's eyes. "She was talented. She knew what memory to pull up to keep him occupied while she took control of his body and positioned him so that no lasting damage could be done – "

"You're making this up – "

"You forget," he really couldn't hold back the sadistic smile now, "Each dream wanderer is unique, but there are _hundreds_ of them. We discover them every other month here, we just never find one perfect enough to benefit our mission. What Suzy did was beyond her capabilities, costing her life while your football friend – the one who _wanted_ to die, survived." He snorted coldly, "he never even knew she existed until he went back to school. I don't think he even cared about her until she started spooking him in his dreams."

"Even if that's true, you won't make me hate Finn," Matt said heatedly.

Laurence's smile slowly dropped to a snarl. "You are putting your faith in a boy who can barely walk without his brother to hold his hand. A boy, who as some of his friends said, bullied and watched listlessly as his friends threw defenseless kids in dumpsters. That's a wonderful hero you've put on the pedestal. Too bad Suzy had to die to snap him into a suicide mission." He looked around the room and gestured around it, "enjoy your new room, you won't be here for long."

And he was gone before Matt could grab him.

"Damn it!" he yelled, punching the door with a loud boom. He leaned against it, taking a few deep breaths to calm himself before he did something stupid. That did not go out as planned, and – now that he thought about it, maybe it was for the best. He expected Laurence's visit, he expected him to try and weasel out any information he could fuck him over with later.

He didn't expect the taunting.

Or the giddy jabs over Suzy's death.

Laurence was cracking.

Cracking's good. Matt could work with cracking.

As he settled into trying to make use of this with the information he already had, there came the sound of wheezing behind him. Whipping around, fists up and ready for a fight he came face to face with a scrawny red haired boy kneeling on the floor and take forced measured breaths. Cursing under his breath, Matt rushed over to him, waiting for the side effects to leave before he could start asking questions.

"Peter Sato?" he guessed, once the red head was somewhat calmed.

The freckled boy nodded, his hand wrapped gingerly around his neck, trying to ease his windpipe. "You're late."

…

It took him a few terrifying seconds to figure it out. It's not every day a tall girl dressed like a porcelain doll is standing in front of your car, but he quickly recognized her.

It was sort of the same bell shaped dress in his dream, and her smooth dark skin looked even darker against the paleness of her bizarre outfit. What freaked him out was that when she looked up from under her huge hat, and introduced to herself, both he and Kurt immediately realized one unexpected detail.

Ella was a boy.

He had the right bone structure to pass as a pretty girl, and bright hazel eyes to make one stop and stare for a little bit of forever, but when he spoke, it was deep and unmistakably male. To Finn and Kurt's embarrassment they could only stare like idiots.

Fortunately for them, Ella was used to this reaction and warmly welcomed them to his home which, on a stroke of fate, happened to be the strange house Kurt parked by. Now the pair found themselves in a neat and tidy living room fit for the 1800's with a cup of chai tea in hand and a bunch of kids gawking at them as if _they_ were the weird ones. Ella smiled serenely over them, he had removed his hat, revealing short buzzed hair on one side of his head, and longer cropped hair on the other with streaks of light blue. He was definitely an interesting person to look at.

"I'll go over the introductions," Ella said calmly, his kind voice quelling a bit of their anxiety. He gestured toward an Asian boy of about sixteen who had been watching with more guardedness than awe. Compared to Ella, he looked relatively normal if not for his bright pink eyes that were _not_ contact lenses. "This is James, we all call him Wendy."

Finn was nodding in greeting but stopped halfway and did a double take.

Wendy?

Wendy tilted his chin up challengingly, making Finn flush in embarrassment.

Ella didn't seem to notice and went on to the next, an Indian girl a little younger than Wendy who seemed to take after Ella's tastes in clothes though on a much tamer side. "This is Harvest."

"Hi!" she waved, breaking into a toothy grin revealing a neat row of braces.

"That's Venice," a Hispanic gothy girl around the same age as Harvest waved in greeting, she seemed to be the most normal one of the bunch because the last one Ella turned to was a pale as paper boy of eleven it seemed, with random sharpie notes all over his arms and soft blond hair that fluttered about with no breeze to push it. "And that's Orion."

"Hello," the stepbrother's greeted quietly, trying not to appear too taken aback by the colorful bunch. If they noticed, they didn't seem to mind.

"How's Peter, is he okay? They haven't done anything to him have they?" Harvest asked quickly, fingers twisting nervously.

"I-I don't know," Finn blinked, "he helped me get out though, and he told me to come here to get help, I…I think he's fine." The tan girl looked up to Wendy, still worried, but he nodded grimly and looked to Ella.

Finn and Kurt turned to her expectantly as well, not quite sure where to start with anything, or how to start at all.

The boy seemed to be thinking deeply, but he snapped to attention when he noticed the stares and smiled sadly. "We're all adopted, you see," he explained quietly, looking at the coffee table where a few photographs stood. One was of a little black boy with a grinning couple in their twenties. Judging by the house they stood by, it seemed that Ella was the first kid they adopted because other photos were of the same setting, but with the addition of a new child. They were all a picture of happiness.

It was then Finn realized the absence of the parents in the house.

"Some months ago Apate came to Youngstown with the intention of building a sister site here," Ella went on, "They heard rumors that we were all infected at different stages and tried to take us away – this was around the time I was still teaching Suzy how to use her ability." Finn straightened up with interest. So this was what everyone meant by getting Ella's help? A mentor? "We were caught by surprise, our parents tried to stop them, I did my best, but in the end…" his neatly trimmed brows knitted with heavy sadness, "Peter distracted them by displaying his ability, it gave me time to put a mental block and keep us protected, but it was too late to save Peter. Suzy had been communicating for us, but lately it's been very weak, now we have no idea how he's doing."

"And you're parents?" Kurt asked quietly. He was unwillingly reminded of his father and Carole.

"Suzy's made them forget about us for our protection," Venice spoke up quietly, her tone and posture oddly reminiscent of Tina, "the less people close to us the better. It's only temporary until we get Peter back. That's where you come in."

Finn looked from her to Ella, "I'm sorry?"

But the dark teen had been staring at Finn and Kurt's clasped hands. He seemed deep in thought again, but when he looked up, he was back in the present. Standing up gingerly, he held out his hand for Finn, "come with me. There's a lot I have to tell you."

"Um…" hesitantly, Finn stood up himself instead of taking the hand since both were occupied. Kurt joined him as well but Ella shook his head.

"Just Finn. Wendy will fill you in," he nodded to his brother who returned the gesture. Kurt wasn't reassured.

"But he – "

"He'll be fine, nothing will appear as long as you and I are in this house," Ella smiled. Still uncertain, Kurt sat back down, his hand slowly slipping out of Finn's. Before Finn could give in to the urge of latching onto him again, Ella gently placed a hand on his back and walked him out of the living room into the homey looking kitchen.

The pair sat down at the small table, chai's still in hand. Thousands of questions swam in Finn's head over all the mystery. Already he felt disoriented over meeting the unusual family, and those were just introductions.

Ella took a sip of his tea, gloved fingers wrapped around the saucer cup as if looking for warmth. "What would you like to know first?" he asked to start.

Finn opened and closed his mouth; he'd been hoping Ella would already know, didn't it usually work this way? "I need to find Babylon." Was all he could say.

"Why?"

He was a gaping fish again, "uh…because I need to stop Apate."

"Why?"

"It's ruined my life," he frowned, wasn't this obvious? "And isn't it the only way to get Peter back? Everyone's been telling me I had to go to Babylon – the documents I have said it's their main base – where the woman who started all this is at."

"I've tried many times to get some kind of clue for Babylon's location," Ella said quietly, "I want revenge just as much, but my abilities aren't capable enough – I'll die before I get even the faintest hint. But you," he added as Finn sank in his chair in disappointment, "you have the one ability Apate's been needing and avoiding in a dream wanderer." Finn waited confusedly. "Empathy."

A pregnant paused followed. Finn tried to think back to the few times he was able to use this power, but in all those instances either pain followed or he had no idea he used it. "I don't…"

"Do you know anything about the strand type of victims?" Ella asked instead. Before Finn could even shake his head, he continued to explain, "when victims use their abilities in reality they have certain side effects. Strand one have physical side effects like vomiting, headaches – I'm strand one," he added, touching his chest, "muscle spasms, and because of the mental block I put up, I'm physically weakened – I can barely walk sometimes." Finn nodded, he had noticed the boy's movements were very slow and delicate, but he thought it was because he wanted to appear that way to make him seem more elegant. "Strand two is more mental – which is what you are at the moment. You suffer hallucinations right?" He nodded mutely. "And strand three victims suffer nothing."

"Okay," he nodded again, trying to take this all in. It wasn't about Babylon, but it was still useful, at least he knew a little more about his problem. "And you're a dream wanderer, are you gonna like…be my mentor or something?"

He shook his head sadly, "our abilities are too different. I can only see and listen to people's dreams. You can interact when them – if anything there's nothing I _can_ teach you at the moment because you're more advanced than I am. Suzy was like you, but she started off like me so it was easier for me to teach her what I knew."

"Then what am I doing…" he frowned at his untouched tea. "I don't get it," he muttered. "If you can't teach me, or help my find Babylon what are you supposed to help me with?"

"Before I tell you there's something you must know."

He looked up, still disappointed, but with the morose look Ella was giving him, dread started filling him. "What is it?" a thought struck him, "Is it my parents? Are they okay?"

"They're fine. This involves Kurt. I wanted to speak to you privately about this so it would be easier on both of you," he took another sip of tea, more to collect his thoughts. "There are a lot of us out there – dream wanderer's, each with different types of capabilities. I've only been able to tap into your dreams twice, but that was all I needed."

Finn blushed, recalling the dream where he was kissing Kurt in the highway. He could still remember seeing Ella's silhouette out in the distance. Watching them.

He really had been there.

"Along with traveling through dreams, I'm also able to detect the presence of others, you could say I'm an All Seeing kind of wanderer," Ella continued, thankfully ignoring the other boy's embarrassment. "This presence I found is new, and it doesn't belong to Suzy. It belongs to another wanderer except they were doing something I had only seen Suzy do. Manipulating."

"Um, okay. So," this was making him feel like he had some sort of parasite in his head. "someone's manipulating my…dreams," his face fell and paled. Did that mean all those dreams – those interactions – the moments with Kurt…they were all fabricated by someone else?

Ella nodded darkly. "I dug in as much as I could and found that recent dreams you had of Kurt were all created by someone else. I don't know why or how far back exactly, but it seems this person is trying manipulate your feelings – make you want something with Kurt."

"Are you…" he felt sick, "you're not making this up are you? I mean…that can't…" he couldn't sit anymore. He started pacing back and forth in the small kitchen, the bright colors making him feel sick. "Is this a joke!"

"I'm sorry," and he looked genuinely sorry. Finn looked down at him helplessly. He just met him, but after hearing so much about Ella, already he had some trust in him. He came here hoping to feel like he had some kind of leg up against Apate. This was wonderful. Going on a suicide mission with the guidance of a dead girl, a runaway, and a stepbrother he was starting to….

Starting to fall in love with.

And now this porcelain doll was telling him it's all a lie. And what for? A sick joke? Someone out there was looking for a laugh?

It seemed like everywhere he turned he was getting mind fucked.

"So my…" he swallowed thickly, "feelings that I have for him. Are they fake too?"

It was the first time Ella seemed caught off guard. He slowly shook his head, "It's yours, I'm sure. But they've been created from an idea that's not yours. I don't even know why they're messing with you like this, as a joke or distraction, I don't know. But I had to tell you, you need to protect yourself. Given that you're mind's open to any wanderer out there, you're like a personal internet now – _anyone_ can get in your head and pull up whatever information they can find if they try hard enough."

"What do I do? I mean…we…" he looked to the open doorway leading into the living room. The siblings were blocking his view of Kurt, it was probably better or Kurt would see how distraught he was and flip. "I _want_ to have something with him."

He couldn't believe he was admitting this to a total stranger.

"What you do or don't do is up to you," Ella stood up and handed him his tea he left on the table. "What I will do is give you my ability and tell you everything I know concerning Apate."

"How," he looked at the pale hot drink reluctantly, he couldn't stomach anything right now.

Ella placed a comforting hand on his, a small smile on his plump perfectly shaped lips, "World Wide Cerebral Network."


	19. The Network

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finn fights off the clown and enters the World Wide Cerebral Network.

…

Chapter 19

The Network

…

The discussion between Finn and Ella had been a long one, almost an hour that left Kurt nervous not for his safety since he could see Finn's back from the door, and hear the quiet exchange between the pair, but because he had no idea what they were talking about and he had a feeling it had to do with him.

Even worse, the diverse group of siblings wouldn't stop staring at him the whole time. It was very unnerving and left him with a nervous tick in his leg.

Fortunately though, once the talk ended, the two dream wanderers re-entered the living room with instructions to follow Ella to the next room that seemed to have originally been a home office with a wall of books, but was now temporarily a sort of bedroom. There was a king sized mattress where the desk would have been, covered in many colorful sheets that reminded Kurt of gypsies.

"The World Wide Cerebral Network is basically what the title implies," Ella said, apparently continuing the conversation he'd been having with Finn, "it's a mental connection to all humans on the planet victim or not. Only a dream wanderer of extreme power can tap into this connection and communicate with any person they wish whether they're next door or in Antarctica."

"Is that how you were able to find us? Or lead us to you?" Kurt asked curiously, making his way to stand next to Finn. He seemed oddly morose and couldn't seem to look him in the eye.

"No, that was all circumstances of fate," Ella replied, sitting down on the mattress. "I did want to help you, but Suzy and the others beat me to the punch," his faint smile dropped, and he went on to say, "At the moment the Network is really just a theory created by Apate after discovering the potential of dream wanderers. Suzy was the one who gave them that idea – this was before she learned the truth about them, and she would have been their test subject except she used her ability to continuously change their minds. She actually found me after meeting with Peter at the institution. I'd already learned to use my power as best I could and ended up teaching her what I knew…" his eyes drifted to the past, "she was talented. I ended up preparing her to test out the Network before her death."

"So now I'm going to do it," Finn stated quietly. Kurt looked up at him, but he kept his gaze to the floor and away from him. His brows were pinched with something that made Kurt feel uneasy. What on Earth did he and Ella discuss in the kitchen?

"What's going on?" he asked, turning from his stepbrother to the doll dressed boy.

Ella matched his gaze with something like guilt and determination. "I have never been able to fully access the Network for long. The closest I've gotten was ten seconds before I woke up to the worst pain that almost left me paralyzed."

Kurt paled. "And Finn's going to…but – "

"In theory he should be able to handle it," Ella cut in quickly, "his empathetic abilities help him mimic other victims powers. On your journey here he's come across one whose ability will potentially make him able to withstand the pain by ebbing it away."

"Who?"

"Sunshine," Finn answered, shuffling from one foot to the other awkwardly. "Because I met her…I'm immortal now."

…

Laurence's orders were becoming like commands barked from a colonel. Five minutes ago Jackie had lost trail of Finn and his brother because Sam raided the Pollen case and was currently stirring out of the effects of ten plus hits he juiced into himself. After Matt's unexpected visit and sudden disappearance, Jackie was left sitting at the foot of the stiff motel bed her patient was lying on, body tensed up like a bow string with fear and anger.

Her childhood friend was no longer a friend. An ex-patient just squeezed out as much information as he could from her. Her current patient was dancing between life and death – all because she wasn't careful to keep him stable. She was well on her way to a state of panic.

And then Laurence called with orders to head to Youngstown, Ohio. A place where Finn and Kurt most certainly were.

How he was so sure of this, she didn't know. Her head was screaming to bring some sense to her lost friend, but every time they exchanged even the shortest of words she couldn't get the words out. Couldn't tell him to stop and look at what he was doing to the people around him. To her and the kids that mindlessly ran to the Pollen he offered.

She was afraid of him.

And now as the blond boy beside her moaned and whimpered as the affects of the drug lifted, she had a new person to fear.

They've all whispered he was unreal. Just by looking at the results of his development in his time at Apate was enough to cause agitation amongst the nurses and scientists. They had never seen such a powerful immune system, and his brain activity was greater still.

In actuality, even if they hadn't given him the Pollen, his abilities would have naturally come out on their own. But Laurence was impatient; he needed a soldier – one who would only obey him. It made Jackie sick to her stomach. In the short time she had spent with the boy, she instantly knew he was kind and warm hearted – a ray of sunshine. Now to see him get transformed to this mindless _thing_ over a stupid drug that should never have been created…the guilt was immeasurable.

This was someone's boy. Their baby.

And she was destroying him.

Blinking back angry tears, and gritting her teeth, Jackie stood up and took a few paces back. Ever since Laurence's call she had a mind to go to hell with it and finally do the right thing. Watching Sam twist and turn on the bed as if caught in a nightmare, she steadily raised the gun tightly clasped in her hands and aimed at his head. All she could do now was wait with baited breath.

The sheets tugged and tangled underneath him, the faded flowery patterns pulsing into vibrant colors as if matching his heartbeat. The wooden headrest of the bed chipped into intricate ivy patterns, then reset itself back to plain flat surface. The walls cracked dangerously one second, then had no damage the next. Jackie swallowed thickly, forcibly ignoring all the fantastical changes around her or she'd get caught up in it as well.

This was only a sampling of Sam's power.

He whimpered again and fell back hard on the bed, his eyes opening wide for a few seconds before shutting tight as if in pain. It wasn't pain he was feeling though. He was terrified. It felt like years had passed since he'd woken up, his body felt so weak and boneless, and yet his mind was racing with so many ideas he couldn't understand.

He opened his eyes again and cried in frustration before shutting them once more. He gripped his head as if that would stop the confusion and panic running through him.

It wasn't that he couldn't see.

It was that he could see too much.

His cracked open his eyes a third time and once again was bombarded by colors and movement. There were shapes and lines, cartoons, and words everywhere! On the walls, the ceiling, his body and bed. Even the woman at the foot of his bed had red lines all over her like blood.

"Please," he whimpered, his weak hand reaching out to her. At the same time the sheets around him came to life and imitated his movement, floating up around his raised arm and pointing toward the woman with the gun aimed at him, "help me."

A sharp pop silenced by the gun's muffler sounded off and the next second Sam felt something had pierced him on the shoulder.

The second after that, he knew nothing.

…

"So what can you do?" Orion asked.

They were sitting in the makeshift bedroom. Finn and Ella were lying side by side, hands clasped and in deep sleep. After being told how dangerous getting into the Network would be Kurt had protested against Finn going in, but it seemed Finn's mind was made up and nothing would make him back out. Not even pleas from Kurt.

Now he was forced to sit with the four siblings, waiting impatiently for Finn to wake up. It had been quiet since Orion touched a word on his forehead and gently pushed them into sleep. The siblings had taken the time to gather lotions and a bowl of water, then settled down around Ella, completely relaxed as if they'd done this hundreds of times before. Kurt couldn't share their calm, standing by Finn with his arms tightly crossed and body tense with unease.

"What?" he looked up at the boy. He couldn't have been no older than eleven, and yet he had this air about him that gave off the impression of years of wisdom. Quietly, he wondered what life this kid had gone through before being adopted. "Oh, I-I don't have any powers."

"You haven't seen her," Wendy stated, looking up from his spot by Ella, "the Alice." Slowly, Kurt shook his head. This seemed to baffle the group, looking at each other with knitted brows of confusion.

"Is this strange?" he asked, not quite sure why it had to be.

"It's just…" Harvest frowned, glancing at Wendy, "it's been months since the outbreak, even if you haven't seen her, you should have some signs of an ability – do you have any in your dreams?"

He shook his head again, his confusion turning slowly into concern. Was it really that weird for him not to be infected?

"Maybe it's just taking longer for you to react to the infection," Wendy settled, easily quelling his siblings' curiosity, "after Apate left Youngstown, Ella started showing signs of the syndrome, I didn't show any signs until last week." He pointed to his bright pink eyes, "X-Ray vision. Strand Three…we're actually all Strand Three except for Ella."

"Strand Three," Kurt muttered, recalling Ella's explanation before he went to sleep. In order to quell his anxiety over Finn going into the Network, Ella told him the strand types that separated the victims from each other. For now Finn was Strand Two, but if he practiced the ability he unwittingly gained from Sunshine, he could become Strand Three. A feat that was impossible to achieve by any other victim. And according to the files Kurt had gone through, and the travels Suzy and Ella made, Finn was the only one of his kind.

An Anomaly, Ella had said.

"And…what can you guys do?" he asked softly, looking down at Finn's sleeping form. Despite the fading dark circles under his eyes, he finally looked relaxed and at peace from all the misery that spiraled into their lives since the day he claimed to have seen a monster in their kitchen. Not wanting to think of the past, Kurt looked up at the small group who were looking back with sympathy.

"I'm not sure what it's called," Orion said first, "but if I write a word like Joy on me, and press it, and think it…it happens," he shrugged. "Only temporarily though. I found that out after I tried to shield the house from Apate. The place was too big for me and lasted about a minute before I…" he cleared his throat self consciously, a blush tinting his cheeks, "fell unconscious."

"Oh," Kurt looked over the words that covered every inch of the boy's arms and realized they were mostly adjectives of some kind, one of which he noted with discomfort was Pain.

"I um…" Harvest squirmed in her kneeled spot in embarrassment, "I have super strength," she smiled sheepishly, "an unladylike ability, but useful when necessary."

Venice rolled her eyes, "yeah, like running around the streets at night in stupid pajamas pretending to be Supergirl."

At this Harvest turned to her sister and pouted indignantly, "I only did that once," she hissed under her breath.

"And she won't do it again," Wendy eyed her sternly. The tanned girl slumped in defeat, looking thoroughly embarrassed though Kurt wasn't sure why.

It brought an interesting question to mind. "Are there other kids like you out there acting like superheroes?"

He wasn't sure what to expect, but at the question, the group became grave and uncomfortable at the same time.

"You haven't seen the news?" Wendy frowned. Slowly, Kurt shook his head. With hopping from one motel to another, he and Finn didn't have the luxury of seeing news reports, and some scant times they had, had them running out of the city before they could get caught. The broken radio in the car was even less help for keeping them up to date with the world, too. He made a mental note to start collecting newspapers. "There've been groups of kids…Strand Three mostly who haven't been caught yet, running around in disguise trying to save people or commit crimes. It's not big right now, but if they're not stopped, it could get really bad."

"I haven't seen anything like that since I left Lima," Kurt raised his eyebrows in surprise. Then again, after being told the different Strand Types, it made sense that there would be kids out their feeling powerful with whatever ability they had and start to add to the chaos.

"There was a report in Florida, and another in Ohio – nothing to big, but enough to put panic in anyone who's heard of it," Venice explained, "some kids tried to free animals from an aquatic center but injured themselves and some visitors. And there were two girls who ran away from Apate, deafening the area with a siren scream."

Kurt sat there, images of children running around and using their abilities to their liking driving through his head. Considering everything he'd seen and read about in the documents from Apate, with time things could get ugly if one kid happens to have and _use_ nuclear abilities, or become angry and simply think the world out of existence.

Looking at the words scattered over Orion, Kurt could imagine the boy writing the word Death on himself, and direct it to anyone he wished.

"And Finn's supposed to stop all this?" with shame, he became doubtful. Finn was only one person. He still had no control over his abilities, and they were running to stop the people who made up all this in the first place.

It was horrible, but he had to admit he was starting to feel a little safer knowing that Apate was putting away kids with potentially dangerous abilities. Even if it was their own fault. And if they were telling the truth, maybe they really were trying to find a cure. Was it right to stop that?

Fuck, this was getting too complicated. Now the more he looked at it, the more he was starting to see this was nothing but a revenge mission than anything heroic.

"If what we wanted was revenge, we could have asked Orion to destroy Apate himself," Venice broke the silence. Kurt looked up at her carefully and she shrugged, "I know what you're thinking, it's written all over your face."

"You can read thoughts?" he didn't like the sound of that.

But Venice shook her head, "Heightened Hearing, but I'm good at reading people too, though that's a talent not really an ability."

"Oh…well, then what are we doing exactly?" Kurt asked softly. "Running to the people who've messed with our lives and trying to break them? That sounds like revenge to me."

"We want a cure," Wendy said so surely, it made Kurt feel a little scolded, "and we're not sure what Apate wants, but it's involved changing our genetic codes that could kill us – we want to stop _that_. Even more importantly, we want Peter _back_. They've made us their guinea pigs, and if you haven't noticed, a good percentage of us have died because of it. If that's not enough reason to want to stop them I don't know what is."

Kurt kept quiet, still confused over what his next move should be. On those aspects, Wendy was right. Still, Apate had resources to find a cure. It would be stupid to destroy that.

Letting out a puff of air, he looked down at Finn, still asleep despite the raised voices. Waiting was the only thing he could do now so he sat down on his knees and hoped it wouldn't be long before Finn was awake and they could figure out what to do next.

…

He was dreaming. He was sure of it, but everything just felt so real.

He was in his bedroom, still new from the recent move, and smelling like fresh paint and summer. Just as in the real world, his room looked almost finished with decorating. The dressers were lined on the spots he wanted, the bed was laid out, his computer and game systems were all set in and ready to go. There were just a few boxes lying forgotten in the corner. Its contents would probably never see daylight for the next few weeks because he was too lazy to finish the unpacking.

"This is your comfort zone."

The voice startled him, but as he turned around he already knew who it was. Much more frillier than ever, Ella stood before him with a small smile that quickly set him at ease. It was bizarre how attractive he could be with such a tiny gesture and in a fluffy dress and makeup. Finn blamed it on the eyes.

"So…I'm dreaming right?" he said unsurely, watching Ella as he looked around the bedroom with vague interest. "I thought you said you couldn't interact in dreams."

"Right now we are in your mind – yes you're dreaming. I was able to teach Suzy because she accepted my existence in her mind, just as you have as well," he answered, stopping by the desk and picking up a blue scarf hanging on the chair that was most definitely not Finn's.

It was Kurt's.

"That's…not mine," he found himself say without thinking. Ella looked up curiously, but he was too embarrassed to finish.

"If you look at it one way, this place holds all the people you hold dear to you," Ella said helpfully, setting the scarf back in its place and wandering over to the unpacked boxes, "but you're room's not finished yet, you expect to meet more people in the future, and slowly the boxes will unpack themselves." He gestured to the boxes with an encouraging smile.

Inexplicably moved by this, Finn opened a random box and looked inside. He couldn't tell much of what the contents were, but one thing stood out over everything.

A jar holding a single ghost pepper.

As he pulled it out he could feel it pulsing softly with life in his hands. His eyes welled up and a warmth filled his chest. It was an inanimate object, just like the pineapple ornament, but he felt like he was reuniting with an old friend. Gingerly, he held it close, if only to feel a little closer to Suzy.

"When you open a box, you find the people closest to you whether they're gone or not, new or old," Ella said comfortingly.

"I never really knew her when she was alive," Finn said sadly, looking down at the lonely jar. "She helped me so much…"

"As long as you know you'll never be alone, this room will remain, and she will continue to have a place here," Ella placed a gentle hand over the jar, "when I was just starting to teach her, she was afraid of being forgotten. Her room was empty and cold. There was this irrational belief that she could never be loved or cherished." Finn stared at the warm jar; there were times he felt that way too, but his friends would always be there to cheer him up. Having never known Suzy before now, he couldn't imagine how lonely she must have been under the ignorance of high school society. Even he had ignored her. "I'm happy you consider her good enough to be here with your loved ones."

"Is there…" his voice went funny. Swallowing it down, he tried again, "is there any way to bring her back?" He wanted so bad to see her alive and really accept her as a friend. It had been eating him up for the longest time. Like this was all his fault.

"Whether there is someone out there who can raise the dead or not, it's not up to us to make that decision," Ella said solemnly, "Suzy doesn't regret the choice she made. For that, we must respect it and learn to live with it."

He had a feeling he would say that. Forcefully pushing aside the regret that clawed inside him, Finn carefully set the jar on the desk where it glowed with life against the sunlight that streamed in from the window. Suzy had done as much as she could to save the people she loved; now it was his turn.

"What do I need to do?"

In response, Ella walked over to the door and opened it. "We leave the comfort zone, and get rid of the intruder manipulating your dreams. I can only offer you advice once you step out there, this is your dream. I am merely a visitor."

Beyond the door there was darkness. None of the sunlight that lit the room leaked into it. It was completely black and foreboding, showing nothing of what lay hidden in its depths. Finn looked to Ella for assurance, and only saw determination. Not wanting to show anymore fear than he already had, Finn squared his shoulders and stepped out of his bedroom.

Everything became so dark and boundless it felt like he was floating rather than walking. There was no noise or hint of life. All was still, excluding the pounding of his heart that hammered in his ears.

_"If you come to Babylon, you will die."_

…

She felt like she was floating as the nurses walked her down the stark white halls of the institution. Slowly though, as they passed by rooms and wandering patients, her paces became firmer, and the fogginess in her head began to lift. Still, she couldn't seem to get full control of herself. The nurses were mumbling to each other, but she couldn't find the energy to catch their words.

The Pollen was setting in, she could feel it. Usually they would leave her in her room to sit it out, but this time they were taking her somewhere. She knew she should be feeling agitated, but all that filled her was peace. Wherever she was going, she didn't care. So long as there was a comfortable chair or bed to sit on.

They reached the end of the hall, to an official looking door, with an official looking plaque, with official looking words that she couldn't comprehend. One of the nurses opened it, and they moved her inside.

It was a huge office with a window for a wall looking over the recreation center. She stared at it in amazement for a few minutes, before drifting over the rest of the room, not noticing that the nurses had already sat her down in front of an impressive desk.

A man smiled down at her, his slicked back hair shining dully in the light, and his suit hugging his slim body like a custom glove. He approached her with his bottomless black eyes, sitting down on the chair next to her. She smiled back, feeling she could trust this man, whom she was sure she met before.

Behind him, another man stepped in her line of sight. Scrawny, and in a cheap suit with a notepad and tape recorder in hand. She smiled at him too.

"Now, Rachel," the first man said, placing a warm hand over hers, "you've told me everything you could, are you ready to tell it again to this gentleman?"

She wanted to frown in confusion and ask what he was talking about, but instead her eyes glistened with tears and she nodded, the words spilling from her mouth before she had a chance to figure out what she was saying.

…

He turned to the sound of the voice but only found darkness. Ella was nowhere in sight and for a second he feared he'd fallen into a trap. The agitation was enough to drift him back to consciousness except something warm grabbed his hand, and a voice next to him said.

"Concentrate. Don't be afraid of your own mind."

"Ella – " he turned to the voice but was only greeted by darkness. He couldn't see him, but he knew he was there. Glad he hadn't been abandoned, Finn took a deep breath and tried to relax.

He had to concentrate, but on what exactly? Where the first voice came from? It sounded like it came from everywhere. Brief as it was, it did sound familiar. Too familiar.

_"If you come to Babylon, you will die."_

There it was again. From every direction, but now Finn was starting to recognize it more and more and it did nothing to ease him. This was the one who was messing with his dreams? When he thought about it, it made sense, he'd been a constant presence in his nightmares. Laughing and screaming, toying with him, threatening him with guns. A face painted in sorrow, and eyes filled with mania.

"It's you," Finn trembled.

The darkness tore away in shreds, culminating before him into a distorted form of the creature that haunted him since the beginning. Black and white make-up marred with blood and sweat, he stared back at Finn with his manic eyes and twisted smile. Stumbling a few steps forward he giggled, high pitched and piercing fear through Finn's core.

"If you come to Babylon," the clown said in a low deep voice before giving into another childish giggle. "I WILL KILL YOU!"

…

"You know, when you said New York, I thought you meant the city," Mercedes said as they drove past a sign welcoming them into Long Island. Winter had become bitter the closer they arrived to their destination, the coats they brought with them not enough to keep the cold at bay. Even worse, the heater had been shoddy in the last moments of their drive, and the girls were left to huddle in the back with chattering teeth. Thankfully the bizarre storm had ended, but it was constantly snowing now, and the freezing temperatures forced Dr. Hope to drive more carefully than ever.

"But I thought I said…" the frail man raised his eyebrows in surprise, but then shook his head. He really had a forgettable mind. "Well anyway we should be close now, maybe twenty more minutes."

Mercedes sighed, huddling closer to the trembling Quinn. "Should we try the radio again?"

He glanced at the rearview mirror to see her looking straight back meaningfully; it spiked some pity in him. "Mercedes, you know if we turn it on – "

"Just for a few minutes," she added pleadingly, "he can't be on all the time. Please?"

"Yeah please?" Quinn chipped in weakly. Dr. Hope noted with worry that the corners of her lips were turning blue, and her eyes seemed much paler.

Shutting his mouth, he reluctantly flicked on the radio and fiddled with the tuner. The quiet of the car was interrupted with white noise for a few seconds before faint voices started becoming clearer.

_"…Looking for…homes…safety of…syndrome…Ohio…"_

"There!" Mercedes perked up, "what are they saying about Ohio?"

Biting his lip and trying not to stray his eyes from the empty road for too long, Dr. Hope hurriedly tried to focus on the station.

_"…Police…for…running…escaped a few days ago from Apate in the Lima, Ohio location. This has spurned on the first of ten quarantines so far that is continuing to spread throughout the country as more infected children pop up. According to the most recent reports, there have been a total of one hundred and eighty two strand three adolescents who have caused havoc with the unique side effects of the Alice Syndrome. Apate representative Laurence Niac has urged a swift detainment of these kids in order to cure them and bring safety back to the country."_

_"Going back the escaped patient Finn Hudson, there have been tentative sightings of him and his stepbrother Kurt Hummel in Akron, Ohio where it appears they were with a third person, a so far unidentified young woman of Asian descent – brunette, probably sixteen. They were spotted at a bus station, apparently dropping her off. No one knows yet if it was really the brothers because one was red haired and the other blond. Unfortunately, security cameras weren't able to get a good shot of them, and attendants weren't able to clearly remember their faces."_

_"Yes, and joining the list of missing kids are their friends Mercedes Jones, and Quinn Fabray, along with therapist Dr. Damien Hope."_ Mercedes and Quinn stiffened. _"No sightings of these two girls yet, but according to a few neighbors, they were visiting Dr. Hope in the morning of Hudson's escape, and were about to be detained by Apate when a loud siren paralyzed them long enough to escape in Hope's car. Police are urging the public to keep a look out for a beat up brown 1972 Ford ltd Brougham. Pictures of the three are already flying around Ohio and are quickly spreading as fast as the fliers for Hudson and Hummel."_

_"Missing too are the parents of these girls. They left home to talk with the police after their kids were reported missing and haven't returned home since. This mirrors the missing Burt Hummel and Carole Hudson who also disappeared after their boys ran away the morning of the escape."_

"Oh my god," Mercedes breathed, heart hammering at the devastating news. The regret that plagued her since leaving Lima grew at the idea of her parents possibly dead in some sewer somewhere. Though she didn't say anything, the tension wringing out from Quinn told her she was thinking the same.

"We'll have to ditch the car," Dr. Hope said grimly, looking around the streets in paranoia. There was no one out, but already he could feel their eyes on him, just waiting to report them.

_"The spread of the Alice Syndrome has gone outside the united states, one incident occurring in France involving a boy of sixteen named Se – "_

_"Good afternoon, I'm Laurence Niac, CEO of Apate Home For the Youth – "_

Swearing under his breath, Dr. Hope quickly shut off the radio before he would be taken in by the hypnotist's haunting voice. He glanced back that the two teens. There were tears threatening to spill. Quinn buried herself in Mercedes' arms.

"It's going to be okay," he said unconvincingly, "once we get to my friend, she'll be able to find out what's going on with you and we can stop the quarantines."

"But our parents," Mercedes quivered, tears spilling.

"We'll find them," he replied determinedly, "if you can scream sirens, there's bound to be someone out there able to locate anyone on the planet."

Quinn whimpered into Mercedes chest and the gentle snowstorm turned angry.

…

He charged at him with not a gun, but a switch blade, dirty with dried blood of past victims. Finn froze in horror. Out of all people he didn't want it to be him. He seemed worse than before, bloodthirsty and demonic.

"No…" he quivered.

"Peter Sato!" Ella shouted, placing a firm hand on his shoulder, startling him out of his paralysis.

In that split second the name struck memories in Finn. The red haired boy with the ability to phase through physical barriers. He used his ability once.

The clown peeled out a cry of joy, swinging his blade down to strike Finn on the neck.

He hit nothing, his unsuccessful swing making him stumble a few paces behind Finn and almost fall. He turned around, not disappointed by his missed kill. As he broke into a run for a second try Finn thought quickly over his next move.

Remembering Peter made him able to use his ability without side effects. That made sense because he was dreaming, and since this was his dream, he was the one in control not the clown. So he just needed to get rid of him somehow.

The ground broke away and a wall of earth sprung up in front of the killer, making him crash into it and stunning him for a few seconds.

"Good!" Ella shouted in relief, "you understand now, this is _your_ dream."

"But how do I get rid of him!?" Finn asked in panic, "why is he even in my head!?" The clown crawled around the wall, blood gushing down his face, but still he grinned with excitement, his fangs glinting in the light.

"He said Babylon," Ella muttered, "it could be that he's working for them and intends to stop you from going." The clown giggled and placed his foot forward by his shoulder, his arms stretching out towards them like an unnatural insect. In that strange position he pushed himself up like a puppet, his head lulling to the side, but never taking his eyes off of Finn.

"That was creepy," Finn blurted out.

The killer clown lurched forward and shrieked with laughter, his jaw dislocating as his grin stretched to his ears. His skin tore in the abuse, crimson blood spurting down his costume. Finn wanted to throw up, the sight was hideous.

He raised his knife and ran at Finn a third time, swinging at the air wildly. Tears of panic welling up, Finn fled as fast as he could. He wasn't prepared for this. He imagined the one manipulating his dreams was something weird like a bug or computer, he didn't expect it to be his nightmare. Amongst the flurry of frightened thoughts racing through his head he found himself wishing Kurt were with him to erase the clown from existence like always.

"AARGGH!"

A hand grabbed his arm tightly, pulling him around. He screamed in terror thinking the clown finally got him, but it was only Ella. He was staring ahead with something unreadable in his eyes. Trying to catch his breath, Finn looked as well and was brought with a sight that took his breath away once more.

Glowing in armor bright as the sun, his sword held threateningly at the cowering clown was Kurt. He gazed down at the killer with anger Finn had never seen before, and swung his sword down to deliver a deadly blow. The clown screamed in pain as his body vanished like mist. It happened so fast that Finn wasn't sure any of it happened at all.

Kurt turned to him, his face melting into a kind smile that made him glow brighter. Without saying a word, he melted away as well, leaving Finn and Ella in the void.

It was silent for a while as the nothingness became filled with an open field caught in spring. Finn paid no attention to the change in scenery, still caught up in the image of seeing Kurt all dressed up like some…some…

Ella cleared his throat, "sooo…" he said clasping his hands behind him, a hint of amusement in his voice, "that's how you imagine him?"

"What?"

"Your knight in shining armor?" he raised a mischievous brow, pouting his lips exaggeratedly, "dat's so _cute_!"

"What!" Finn turned red, "that's not how I – I don't!" he stammered, realizing the Kurt he saw wasn't the real one, just his imagination of him, "whatever man! Now what do I have to do?"

Suppressing a few giggles, Ella looked around the vast open field and sat down as elegantly as one could in a fluffy bell shaped dressed. Finn followed suit sans the flourish and waited as the other boy gathered himself.

"Normally this would require months of mental preparation, but we don't have that luxury," Ella said, "the presence of the manipulator is gone for now, so we must take this window of opportunity." Finn nodded, the back of his mind worried about the next time he would see the clown again. "This must be done in a manner of meditation. Relax and let go of your pains and pleasures of life. Once you have achieved this, you'll find yourself reaching out everywhere in the plane of the Network where everyone's minds are interconnected."

"So it's like a Buddha thing," was all he could comprehend.

"Whatever makes it easier for you to understand," Ella shrugged. "Now, relax and breathe."

He had a feeling this was going to take forever. Crossing his legs, Finn tried to copy Ella's measured breaths, and shut his eyes.

…

He was getting tired. It had been hours since they fell asleep and still they hadn't woken up. Night had fallen over Youngstown, a perfect opportunity to leave without being detected, but Kurt couldn't do that with Finn asleep. He was starting to think that he'd have to stay the night which didn't sound too bad; at least he wouldn't be paying forty bucks for it.

That's what he was planning anyway until Venice sat up sharply and looked to the door in alarm.

"What is it?" Harvest yawned, sitting up from her stupor, Orion had already fallen asleep on her lap, curled up like a kitten.

"Someone's walking to the door," Venice frowned, pushing herself to her feet. Wendy stopped her from going and stared hard at the wall where beyond it the front door lay. Kurt waited with baited breath. It was Apate. They found them.

"It's a guy and a woman," Wendy said walking to the door. "Both are blond, she looks nervous…"

Kurt froze. "The guy…is he our age?"

Wendy shrugged, "I guess. He looks sick…" he glanced at Kurt curiously, "he's in regular street clothes, kind of average height, blue eyes, fit…looks like a model actually," he blinked bemusedly, "big lips too."

"Don't open the door for them!" Kurt hissed, rushing to his feet, "he's with Apate!"

"Wha – !" He didn't even have time to think, though no one else could see it, he could, and it was unbelievable. As the blond boy approached their front door, he raised his hand and the door blew away into little shards of splinters and sticks. Just that sight alone was all Wendy needed to know that their home was no longer safe.

Hearing the explosion, the siblings stood up in fright, Orion looked around in confusion, having been woken up unceremoniously. Wendy backed away from the door; he could see the pair looking around as they entered the house. He just blew away the door without breaking a sweat, what kind of power did this kid have?

"You have to go," he rushed over to Ella, waving at Harvest to get to Finn. Kurt looked around for another exit but there was none, the room was from within the house, there weren't any windows or second doors. What's more he was surprised Ella and Finn remained asleep despite Sam's explosive entrance. He shakily went to help Harvest, but she lifted Finn as if he were merely an eight pound infant.

"How…how are we getting out?" he trembled helplessly.

"Leave it to me," Orion had snapped out of his daze and was now pressing the world Invisibility on his right shoulder. Kurt felt something tickle all over his skin for a few seconds. He wasn't sure what happened, but just then the door to their room shattered into sand and pooled on the ground revealing Sam and a blond woman. Kurt couldn't breathe.

The last time he saw Sam he seemed thinner and sickly from his time at Apate. Now he looked as though he went through hell. There were dark circles under his eyes, his skin held a gray tint to it, and he was just as thin as when Finn had escaped from Apate. It was like he was a completely different person. Kurt wanted to call out to him, but no one else was moving so he held his tongue.

Did Orion make him invisible?

Sam looked straight at him. "Where is he?"

…

It felt like years had passed. He wasn't sure how, but he managed not to lose his patience. Time was passing, and yet he remained sitting, slowly breathing in and out. Peace in, problems out.

It took forever, but he finally felt something. He didn't feel like he was in his body anymore which was a strange sensation because he was dreaming already and he only had his imagination of being in his body. Now he felt like he was everywhere and it was starting to scare him.

"Ella – "

"Relax," Ella said soothingly, "open your eyes."

He felt himself do so, but at the same time it was like they'd been open the entire time. They were no longer in the open field. Instead what surrounded him was space. Pitch black and endless with only white stars to dot its dark depths.

What took Finn's breath away though, were the millions and billions of little planets scattered all over the place, each connected by transparent bridges that appeared to be made of glass. From far away it looked like the largest most complicated molecule of all time. Stunned, Finn didn't know where to look first, each planet shimmered with colors of all kinds, some with wrinkles like a brain, or bristly like grass.

"Impressive. It took me months to get to this point, and only hours for you," Ella's voice reverberated throughout the universe.

Snapping out of it, Finn noticed the purple planet in front of him glowing. It glowed brighter and separated into smaller bits of light, zooming around at lightning speed to form the shape of a human. Just as quickly the light and planet vanished and a young man took its place. The hair and face were familiar, but he was no longer in a dress, instead his body was covered in something skin tight with softly glowing blue lines that looked like veins. It couldn't exactly be called an outfit because it seemed to be a part of Ella, but it was close. Finn looked down at himself and realized he was the same except the veins kept changing color.

Ella opened his eyes. They were completely white, no irises or pupils. From the start of when he first met him, Finn finally felt like he was truly meeting the real Ella.

The boy perked up in surprise upon seeing Finn. "Incredible," he mumbled, though his voice carried off like thunder, "you really are unique." Before Finn could ask, the boy shook his head and gestured to the planets around them, "This is the Network. Every planet you see here is the world of each person on Earth."

Finn looked at the massive display of planets. He had a feeling they were as Ella said. Now that he settled in from his shock, he could even hear and feel the emotions echoing out of them like ripples of a tide.

"Okay," he said simply, "now what?"

"Now you gather as much power from everyone as possible."

_"What?"_

Ella shut his white eyes thoughtfully. "You're time here is limited, tracking down Babylon from the Network is impossible, the best you can do is gather abilities from victims and use it to help you on your journey. By bringing you here…this is the most I can do."

"But – "

Ella lurched forward in surprise, a white light burst from his chest, leaving a gaping hole from where his heart should have been. Finn stared in shock, but Ella didn't seem to be in any kind of real pain.

"We're being attacked," he said, looking down at his emptied chest, "I'm starting to wake up." The hole grew bigger as it ate away at Ella's body.

"Wait!" Finn reached out to him, "what just happened!? Why are you…are you dying!? What's going on!"

"Shit," the hole got so big his torso was no longer there. "Don't worry about me, just use this place to your advantage! Every person on the planet is here, just locate what you need!"

"But I don't – "

"Focus!" his neck was disappearing, "You already know what to do. And don't forget to think of Sunshine when you wake up – the longer you stay here, the more likely you will die!"

"Ella!" Finn screamed. But he was gone. The purple planet was back in it's place and Finn was stuck in the vast space with its billions of intimidating planets.

He was completely and utterly alone.

Focus, Ella said. How was he supposed to do that when he didn't know what to do in the first place?

…

They abandoned the car under a bridge nearby. The walk wasn't so bad, the snow had let up and Dr. Hope's friend's house was a few blocks away. What was worrying him was the state of Quinn. Mercedes was just as cold as everyone else, but she was able to keep moving forward and fall into step with him. The blonde was huddled against her friend as if any second she was going to fall. Even worse, her face was no longer pale, but turning a slight shade of blue. Dr. Hope was sure this was somehow the Alice Syndrome affecting her. If it weren't for the quarantines, he would have given up on his friend and rushed her to the hospital.

As it were, they had to hide under the hoods of their coats and try not to grab the attention of people they walked past. They only got strange looks, but no one bothered them.

Once they entered a suburban street, the doctor stopped in front of the first house they came upon.

"We're here," he sighed in relief.

Both girls looked up at the humble home. It was family sized, painted white with a modest lawn and brick stone steps. It reminded Mercedes of the type of houses seen in movies of TV dramas, but on a smaller scale. The driveway was empty, and no one made an effort to sweep the snow off. It looked like no one was home.

Dr. Hope approached the door and rang the doorbell. By the time Mercedes and Quinn joined him at the front steps, no one hadn't answered. He rang again, but nothing happened.

"Maybe they're out shopping," he crossed his arms from the cold. Mercedes threw him a bewildered look.

"In this weather?"

Dr. Hope ducked his head sheepishly, "I do it sometimes," he mumbled. The girls looked at each other in disbelief, and he knocked on the door instead. "Hello!" he called, "Vicki? It's me! Damien!"

Mercedes looked around nervously. No one was outside, but that didn't mean they couldn't hear the man's oblivious calls. If they were found out they'd have to go running again. No one was home, obviously. She deeply regretted going on this wild goose chase.

"'Cedes…" she looked to Quinn who had pulled out a stack of letters stuffed in the mail box by the door. Mercedes took a few and frowned.

_Kayla D. Linx_

_Brenda Castle_

_Helen Adams_

"What the hell…" Mercedes whispered. All of the letters held different names. There was no way that many people lived in the same house…

"There's more," Quinn mumbled in confusion, "Holly Holiday, Jennifer Jones…Shannon _Beiste_!?"

"What!?"

"Oh, it's open," Dr. Hope said in surprise, not having heard the two girls. He stepped inside before they could stop him. "Hello?" he called out. "Vicki?"

The house was clearly empty, and not in the sense that no one was home. It was literally empty. There was no furniture or carpeting. The only thing left was dust and scraps of debris and paper. Mercedes and Quinn remained at the door. An empty house and many untouched letters to different people spelled ominous things to them. The only person who could help them was gone. At a time like this it was more than just a coincidence.

And they recognized a few names on the letters.

Quinn gasped sharply, hand flying to her mouth. Dr. Hope turned to her in alarm but she was staring as the corner of the living room he was standing in. There was nothing there.

"What's wrong?" he rushed to her as she fell to her knees.

"I can see her! I can see her!" she dug her fingers in her hair painfully, shaking her head this way and that in a futile attempt to erase the image.

She'd heard descriptions of her, but that was not how Quinn saw her.

She was standing in the corner of the living room, her summer dress torn and hanging on her blood stained body. Her skin was torn and abused, gray and green in a few places, and yet she was smiling the biggest toothy grin she could muster, blue eyes glinting with madness and giggling innocently under her breath.

_"Hello, Blondie,"_ she sang softly, dragging her dirtied bare feet to her.

Screaming in fright, Quinn backed away, knocking into the confused Mercedes. Dr. Hope reached out for her, but what he saw over her shoulder made him freeze in horror.

Surrounding the house in a neat black row were men with guns, all pointed to him, Mercedes, and Quinn. In that brief moment in which he was caught off guard, Quinn scrambled to her feet, a scream ripping from her throat as she tried to escape the bloodied girl only she could see. Her skin turned completely blue, panicked eyes melting to black. Without mercy, one of the gunmen fired and she was blasted backwards from the force, crumbling in the snow in a heap.

Mercedes and Dr. Hope could only stare in shock.

Quinn wasn't moving.

Snow stopped falling.

Silence fell over the neighborhood. Residents cautiously huddled to their windows, some feeling guilty, and others relief over alerting the authorities as they've been instructed to do so. Dr. Hope couldn't stand anymore. He sank to his knees as the horror and guilt overwhelmed him. This was supposed to be their salvation. Vicki was supposed to be here. She told him no matter what, she would always help him out. Why was she gone? And dragging these two girls with him…

What did he do?

Someone broke past the barrier the gunmen formed. She stood out against their black attire and the blinding snow in her long bright red coat. Shakily, Dr. Hope looked up at the woman and his eyes widened in disbelief.

"You…" Mercedes recognized her instantly. The woman had been her _teacher_ …

Smiling coldly, the woman in red stared down at them, eyes piercing through them like knives.

Suddenly, without warning, they felt themselves collapse, all strength sapping out of their bodies. The last thing on Dr. Hope's mind before he fell unconscious other than rage and betrayal was that their situation had been planned.

They'd fallen into a trap.

…

He didn't know how long he'd been in the Network, but ever since Ella left, the voices wouldn't stop.

_"What's happening to me!?"_

_"Help me!"_

_"I hate them!"_

_"What can I do…"_

On and on it went from cries of despair to shouts of anger. Finn was lost, he could even feel the pain coming from the planets. The confusion becoming his own, fogging his concentration to remain in the Network. Was this what Ella meant when he said he only lasted ten seconds? It was getting too painful, Finn hugged himself. He needed to get out, but he still needed to use the Network to his advantage.

Unfortunately, he didn't know what kind of advantage that was. Right now all he could feel was rage and sorrow. Negative feelings that tore away at him like claws of a monster.

'I need to relax,' he thought to himself, curling into a ball. 'Relax. Relax…'

"AAARRGGHH!"

He looked up at the sound of the scream. From far away he could see a planet slowly fall apart. The many shades of blue coloring it blinked down into dimness, almost as if it were dying. Somehow by instinct, Finn found himself rushing over to it, raising his hands to it and pushing all of his power outwards and into the planet. The destruction slowed to a stop and as if in rewind, reasserted itself back to its original form. Finn's jaw dropped.

What the hell just happened?

He stared and stared at the planet, trying to come up with some kind of explanation. Ella would know what to say but he wasn't here. Whatever Finn did, he felt like he just saved someone's life.

He looked down at his hands, trembling and yet undamaged. The ever changing colored veins glowing peacefully, unaffected by his display of power. And then he felt it. A sense of gratitude and familiarity coming from the planet. There was no gender distinction between all of the planets, but he just knew that this one was a girl. A girl he knew well.

He saved her life…

There were billions of planets all over the universe.

Some of these belonged to his friends.

How many planets out there belonged to the infected? Ella said to gain as much power as possible. All he had to do was concentrate, but doing that would take too much time in picking out the more useful abilities. He had a different idea.

If he managed to get to this girl's planet by simply wanting to, then it would work if he did it again but on a larger scale.

Taking a deep breath he thought of one thing only.

'Show me the infected.'

…

That night, as victims slept on one side of the country, and awoke for morning on the other, they heard Finn's voice speaking to their souls.

_"I don't know how long I can keep this connection, but please listen to me. I'm a victim of the Alice Syndrome just like you. For the past few weeks I've been seeing hallucinations, wandering into people's dreams…and borrowing abilities of friends. I'm not a hero, but people want me to be. They want me to find a place called Babylon and stop the people who created this disease."_

Somewhere in Iowa, a boy was standing on the roof of an apartment building. He didn't know where he was, but there was a little girl in front of him, waving at him to come closer.

_"I felt alone. My friends and family didn't know what to do to help. So I thought Alice could help me. Whether it was a cure or death I didn't care as long as it was over. And I almost did die, the only thing that saved me was luck, and that was something some victims never got. I lost a friend that night, not from Alice but from trying to save us. I never got to know her until it was too late, and even if I succeed in stopping Apate, she'll never get to enjoy the freedom of living again. Just like the victims who died these past few months."_

At a gas station in Mexico, people were cowering away from a group of kids raiding the place. One was setting fire to everything with his bare hands, and another was emitting lightening from his body. A few minutes later the cops arrived and gunned them down without giving them a chance to surrender.

_"I know you're scared and confused. Some of you feel powerful enough to show everyone that you're in control. But throwing your rage and sense of justice isn't control. We lose by acting out on our pain."_

He left the beat up car behind for the Sato's family car instead. He'd driven for hours, taking different turns and loops to confuse his trail just like Finn had before. He didn't care where he was going so long as it was far from Sam and his terrifying power.

Kurt wasn't sure what to call it, but it managed to get Sam to catch up with him at Ella's house in an instant. His escape was all done in a blind frenzy, but he could never forget the monstrous fight that unfolded between the blond and Harvest.

Herculean Strength vs. Possibility

That was Sam's power. Infinite Possibilities.

_"Think of your friends who're suffering along with you, and your family who'll love you no matter what, and would be devastated if they ever lost you. Remember the happy memories you shared with them and the memories you'll continue to make if you don't give up. Think of those who have already lost their lives – those who didn't want to give up but were killed anyway, leaving behind futures that can never be realized and the people who loved them to pick up the pieces – and remember that what you have is too precious to throw away. I admit that even now I don't know what I'm doing. I'm just going on the advice friends have given me. I don't even know if they're the right ones….but all that matters is that in my heart I know what I'm doing is right."_

He woke up to his nose bleeding and his head pounding. Nurses were already tending to him, but it did nothing to ease the defeat and humiliation that swamped him.

Kurt Hummel. Why was he so afraid of him?

"Damnit," he hissed through gritted teeth. His master was not going to be pleased with this.

_"The people who've helped me…they want me to get as much power as I can to stop Apate. But I'm not asking you for help. Losing a friend was hard enough, and I almost lost another. All I want from you is one thing only. No matter what happens, how lonely or hopeless you feel, no matter how bad it gets remember there's someone in the world thinking of you - **I'm** thinking of you…so please, I'm begging you..."_

The boy in Iowa put his foot forward and started to tip, but something in him stopped him, as if an invisible hand was grabbing the back of his shirt and pulling him back. Alice vanished and seeing where he stood, he scrambled backwards away from the edge roof. He fell back on the ground, shaken over what almost could have happened. A trembling hand covering his mouth, he cried and cried, unable to stop the tears gushing down his cheeks.

Over in Mexico the parents of the shot kids rushed to their corpses mutilated by gunfire. They screamed and shouted in anguish until their throats became raw. Holding their children in their arms for any kind of reaction that would never ever come.

_"Live."_


	20. The Three Day Lapse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finn confronts Rachel about Kurt and wakes up to find much has changed in just three days.

...

Chapter Twenty

The Three Day Lapse

...

Around four in the afternoon radio stations and television programs throughout the country were shut down for ten minutes to provide a message from one of the CEO's of Apate Home For The Youth. His pale face took up the screens of homes, his voice slithering into ears and wrapping around minds like a gentle hand that promised no harm. Anyone within hearing range of this mesmerizing voice was susceptible to falling into his spell.

"Good afternoon everyone," he stated calmly and clearly, his tone serious with just a bit of lightness to put everyone at ease. "I am Laurence Niac, CEO of Apate Home For the Youth. Three months ago there had been an outbreak of mysterious teen suicides. As you may have noticed, survivors of this outbreak have developed certain unique abilities that have put themselves and those around them in danger. Some believe this is the next step to human evolution, gifts, or damnation from the unexplained. This is not true.

"What these kids are suffering is a disease called the Alice Syndrome. It has originated in Lima, Ohio and has unfortunately spread like a wildfire throughout the country and possibly other countries. We want to assure you that Apate has made it its mission to save these kids from this disease before any more precious lives are lost. That is why as precautionary means, we will be quarantining several areas within the week, perhaps more in the future. The Alice Syndrome is highly contagious with one of the first signs being a suicide attempt; please understand that if there's a possibility that your child is not infected, they will still be taken in as an extra precaution. They will be safe in our institution, watched over 24/7 by our nurses and given a healthy diet and atmosphere to ensure their comfort. Apate is here to help rid the world of this disease. Put your trust in us."

With the message sent to millions of people across the country, the camera in Laurence's office was shut off with a click and the CEO was free to collapse on his chair from the exhaustion of using his power to the point of excess.

Sweat rolled down his pale forehead in cold streaks. His vision kept blurring in and out of focus, and his tongue felt like sandpaper. Since the quarantine of Lima, his eyes were gradually aching with a pulse due to using too much hypnotism and keeping a mental track of all the people under his influence. All of that put together wasn't nearly as bad as the migraines he'd been getting, especially the one he had right now that threatened to split his head open.

He picked up the small mirror that had been lying on his desk and studied his face closely. It had been happening a lot recently, but there were subtle changes occurring in his appearance and if he didn't catch them fast enough, people would start to notice. Most especially the patients still wary of his presence.

Today his face seemed normal. Pale and flawless like a sculpture made for gods. It was his hair that was different today. No one would be the wiser, but he detected a few strands curling naturally and changing from black to honey brown. If he didn't do anything soon, he would no longer be Laurence Niac, but someone he was desperately hiding.

Leaning back on his chair he shut his eyes and took a deep breath.

He could do this.

Just a few more people to talk to, some well practiced phone calls and another visit to the governor. Then he could settle back and relax.

He could do this.

Inhale. Exhale.

Think of the future.

Think of how good everything will be.

_He could do this._

The pain was still there though, pounding away at every neuron in his brain, and threatening his body to release its disguise. Swearing under his breath, he pulled open a drawer in his desk.

It had been years since he took it. Back then the results weren't as excruciating as they were now, but they were intense, and for someone like him – a blessing. He never compared himself to the patients today – reliant on something to keep the pain at bay. He could take pain, this was nothing new.

But damnit it was hard to keep going when everything hurt every day and he couldn't hold up the mask as easily as before. When it only got worse to the point where he wasn't sure if he was strand one or three.

'I have an institution to run, I need to be at the top of my game,' he rationalized staring down at the contents of the drawer. 'No matter what, my mission will come through.'

His fingers trembling, Laurence gingerly took out a syringe filled with a clear liquid that glinted like crystal in the light. It was to be taken only on an emergency, and was not to be given to any of the patients. This one was exclusively for him and two other people who had been with him when this all started.

The Original Pollen.

Looking at the syringe brought back memories he'd rather not think of. Memories of two childhood friends whom he laughed and cried with; grew up with in a place that treated them like lab rats. It was an isolated and sad childhood, but they we happy together. Laurence was finally starting to breathe again once he started believing it was all a lie.

Matt had no right to bring them up again.

An aching pulse inflated his head, almost emitting a whimper from him. Without a second thought, he rolled up his sleeve and stabbed himself with the syringe.

…

He wasn't sure how he did it, but he felt like his message went through. Inside the Network it felt like reality was much more distorted than regular dreams. Finn realized this after he finished his message and really looked around.

For one thing he was in space and yet he could breathe. The planets around him were too close than normally possible and yet they didn't crash into each other's gravitational pull. The bridges also had little beams of light dashing across them like electricity. He wasn't sure why, but something told him these beams were other dream wanders traveling from one person to the other. It made him feel a little less alone when he thought of it this way.

When Ella had first explained what the World Wide Cerebral Network was, he expected something along the lines of high tech or artificial, not something as organic as this. He figured it was a network created by dream wanderers or Apate, and yet it couldn't be. Everything felt as though it had been around long before Apate was even created.

The more he thought about it, the more it made sense. Everyone always talked about every person on the planet being connected somehow, and they were right, it was just more literal than metaphorical. He looked around the planets, so still and yet their colors brimming with life. The planet that he saved earlier winked softly at him, like a giant marble glistening in the sunlight. She was a friend, he knew this, but who could it have been? When she was falling apart did that mean in reality she was dying?

The fact that she was restored meant that he saved her, right? He hoped he did.

That wasn't the only planet that caught his attention though. Above the planets of infected victims were three planets that held the similarity of a black mist swirling in their atmospheres. It didn't seem normal the closer Finn got, and what was disturbing was that these planets felt familiar to him. Not in the sense of the blue planet, but in the sense that he knew and respected them.

These three were adults.

It didn't make sense because all of the infected were kids; there had been no reports of adults showing signs of having the disease. The only adult he knew to have an ability was Laurence, but he didn't respect him as all. If it was someone he knew fondly, maybe it was his mother and Kurt's dad, but these didn't feel that way. He knew these planets, but not very well. Almost like…

A student would to a teacher.

He wasn't sure why he came to that conclusion, but it felt natural.

The feeling of curiosity was quickly snuffed out as he started to feel oddly…angry.

Clutching his chest, his hands curled into fists. It wasn't just anger; there was resentment, fear, and mania. Something was wrong, these weren't his emotions. He'd just finished contacting everyone as he wanted to, why was he experiencing these contradicting feelings?

Looking around desperately he noticed that some of the bridges connecting the planets were cracking. As if friendships were falling apart. This couldn't be right.

"What's going on?" he asked no one, drifting over to one of the bridges.

At the same time happiness warred with anger inside him, others quickly joining and forming a whirlpool inside him. It took him a minute to figure it out, but he was right, these emotions really weren't his. They were coming from the planets.

"Stop it!" he cried out, voice echoing against the silent planets.

He could really feel it now. The resentment of those feeling betrayed by loved ones. Excitement at the discovery of new abilities. The longer they stayed within him, the clearer it was becoming. His voice _did_ reach the infected, but not everyone agreed. They wanted to do what he warned them against, and that was to take control by force.

A Revolution.

Even worse, some infected were starting to oppose these people and declaring themselves the authorities.

This wasn't what he wanted. This was bad, he had to wake up and stop it somehow.

"Wake up, wake up!" he gripped his head, curling into himself from the pain. "They're going to kill each other, wake up!"

Feeling nauseous as more and more waves of emotions wracked over him, he tried desperately to drift away from the warring planets. He didn't know how far he'd gone, or why he couldn't wake up, but when the angry voices in him lowered, he found himself floating by a bridge that connected to an impressive planet of gold and red flames. He stared at it in awe. The clouds of the planet swirling into beautiful patterns that would have bewitched him for life if he stared to long. But that wasn't all.

Connected to this planet were several other planets that all felt familiar to him. Including the blue planet he saved earlier. Then it clicked.

This red planet…was Rachel. And the others…these were his friends. The forest green planet with bold black lines gave off a sense of rebellious carelessness and yet was peaceful enough to seem kind and selfless. Puck. Looking at all the other planets, Finn recognized them all. It may have been his imagination, but he felt that they could feel his presence as well and wholly welcomed it. This eased the poisonous emotions still clinging to him and he felt himself smile again.

It felt like years since he was with his friends. The times spent singing in the choir room seemed like a distant memory now. Even after he finished Apate, they could never go back to those days. _He_ couldn't.

So much had changed in such a short time. A few weeks ago he would have been preparing a duet with Rachel…

Now though…

How did Kurt get into his heart so easily? He knew it was the clown's fault but…he really hoped it wasn't. After saying he'd leave Rachel for him, why did he say such a callous thing? Was he even thinking clearly?

No. He wasn't. And once he'd wake up he would really know how genuine his feelings for Kurt were. He didn't want to hurt him again. But he didn't want to hurt Rachel either.

It was strange. He placed his hand over his chest. He had a body, and yet he couldn't really feel anything substantial when he thought of his girlfriend and stepbrother. It was easy to feel others emotions and confuse them as his own, but when he really focused, nothing felt real. It was as if he were a ghost in this space.

He really needed to wake up. He'd been here far too long and there was still so much to do. He looked at the planets of his friends, silently promising to come back home to them. He'd probably never be in the Network again, so he looked over each planet, trying to keep each of them fresh in their minds.

It wasn't long until he realized something.

Where was Kurt's planet?

It had to be here somewhere; even the uninfected were here.

"Kurt?" he looked around from his spot. Maybe he had overlooked him. Or was he behind Rachel? Cautiously, he floated over her planet, but by accident he drifted too close and slowly, he could feel himself being pulled. He tried to force himself out, but it was like his concentration was going haywire and all he could do was reach out in futile as the Network slowly began to get clouded over by blue skies.

The last thing he saw before the Network was completely shut off was a gigantic black planet that he hadn't noticed at first because it was so big and melted perfectly against the darkness of space. It dwarfed all the others around it, with enormous chains binding it so that all it could do was shudder like a wild animal. It was a fearsome and foreboding sight.

And it was also unmistakably Kurt.

…

There was something to be thankful for all the quarantines, and that was the growing lack of surveillance in Apate. Granted, Matt could have left the institution at any moment he pleased, but it just wouldn't fit into his plan. Peter had already done his part by giving him the clothes he needed to appear inconspicuous in a crowd as well as a very important phone number. Now it was his turn to wait for the perfect moment which, of course, would be when Laurence let his guard down.

Just as expected for using his ability for too long to such a huge audience, Laurence was staying in his office more than before. He was growing weak. In effect, nurses and guards were starting to ease up on their duties; some had already transferred to other locations. The new staff pouring in didn't even know what they were doing, becoming more lenient to patients out of fear.

Matt stood by the window of his cell, a small note and some loose change in his fist, and a brown winter coat hugging his tense body. Within two hours, a nurse would come in with a fresh needle and a plastic smile. It was unsettling that as the time passed he was growing more eager for those visits than angry. He could understand why Sam had become addicted to the Pollen. He could already feel his body shiver with hunger for the drug. Pretty soon he'd end up like the other patients, sedated, unaware of the long term effects of Pollen. Disgusting.

_"…on break…"_

_"…already done…"_

He looked to the door where he could see two nurses pass by the small window. He waited a few more minutes, then took a deep breath. He didn't eat anything today, so it shouldn't be too bad…

In a flash he was gone with the softest bang he could manage. The next second he appeared in a snowed down street a few blocks from the institution, a pay phone in front of him. Pushing past the empty nausea that twisted in his guts, Matt pulled the collar of his coat high to hide a good portion of his face. He glanced left and right down the eerily empty street before looking at the phone number on the note and dialing. He hoped the kid back at the institution remembered what time it was and was clearing the line as he dialed.

Three long rings and then…

_"Hello?"_

"Hello, Alison Valley?"

_"What? I think you have the wrong number, kid."_

"No I don't."

The other line was quiet for a while, but Matt waited patiently. _"Uh…nope, I'm sure you do, hun, I'm – "_

"First I'd like you to know that the line is safe, no one's listening to us," he cut in, "you've been experiencing strange phenomena and have excused it as dreams or imagination. That is until the suicides began."

_"Okay! It was nice talking to you! I'm hanging up."_

"If you hang up, I won't be able to help you," his hold on the phone tightened. The woman at the other end seemed to have considered this since he didn't hear the click of her hanging up. "I know what you can do. It's hasn't fully manifested until recently, but you can manipulate noises. They have your records – every move you've made, they know about."

_"Who?"_ She was trying to sound like she could care less, but Matt could sense the fear in her voice.

"Apate."

A long pause and then, _"bullshit."_

"I called you because I know you can help. Though if you don't, it's fine, but they'll find you anyway, and sedate you with drugs – they'll keep you prisoner for the rest of your life and use you as a guinea pig for their experiments. Do you want that to happen?"

_"Listen, honey, I have no idea what you're talking about, you've really got the wrong number, now if you'll excuse me I have to catch a flight – "_

"I'm a student from McKinley," he blurted out in a last attempt to convince her.

The white noise from the earpiece flooded in his ear as he waited and waited for her to answer. He hadn't been on the phone long, but it didn't stop the fear that a nurse would stride into his cell only to find it empty and alerting Laurence. That would ruin his plan for sure.

_"Who are you?"_ she finally said, the sarcasm gone from her voice.

Good, she was listening. "My name is – "

Something crashed on the other line. _"What the hell!? Who are you!?"_

_"It's her, get her!"_

_"GET OUT!"_

Matt stood in the public booth numbly, phone pressed to his ear as the screams and crashes continued. Was that Apate? Had they found her already? Maybe mentioning her name to Laurence ruined his plans after all. The representative was the one responsible for wiping her memory, he probably forgot about her until Matt mentioned her just so he could get a leg up in their confrontation. He hadn't thought of the consequences, he _should_ have thought of the consequences.

Now what was he going to do? He was bluffing when he said he didn't need her to go on with the plan, she was crucial to it!

Before he could give up hope, there was huffing and puffing and tapping of feet running in earnest.

_"Okay, you got my attention, what do I need to do?"_

…

Getting Finn inside their motel room was not an easy task. Not only was it awkward to put on a fake beard, make up and wig on a sleeping person, Kurt had to actually lift him past the front desk, down the hall and onto the bed. All while pretending he and his 'friend' were college students who partied a little too long. The guy running the motel didn't give a rats ass though, and even helped him along the way into getting Finn in their room.

It was by the second day of their stay that Kurt discovered the man already knew they weren't college students.

"I've been reading the papers about all these quarantines – bunch of crap in my opinion, you don't look sick to me at all," the man, Howard, said that night as they stood outside the run down motel. He popped a cigarette in his mouth and lit it expertly against the cold winds of winter. Kurt had been trying to think up a good lie all the while until he said, "so you're the famous Kurt Hummel. You're shorter than the papers make you out to be, and you look like you've never carried a gun in your life."

Kurt shuffled uncomfortably, the street was empty so no one could hear them, but for a wild second he wondered if he should put up a front and start threatening the man if he ever ran to the police.

The older man merely grinned pitifully. He was the kind of man who'd seen it all and knew who to trust. "Don't worry kid, I won't rat you out."

Kurt did a double take, but could tell that he wasn't lying. He didn't relax, however, how on earth did this guy escape from getting hypnotized through all those advertisements and warnings from Apate. "You're the first adult we've come by to ever say that," he murmured. "Haven't you watched the news?"

"Psshh!" Howard waved him off, almost losing his cigarette, "I gave up television ever since it kept getting interrupted by that stuck up institution bastard. Couldn't watch the game in peace. I thought it was safe on the radio but his annoying voice kept popping up there too. Newspapers were the only thing I wouldn't have to hear him."

Kurt raised his eyebrows in surprise. If Howard thought this way, perhaps there were other people out there who cut themselves off from the media. "That's…" he blinked, still in shock, he couldn't believe he was saying this, "that's probably the best decision you could ever make."

Howard looked down at Kurt for a minute and laughed boisterously. It was the kind of laugh that Kurt couldn't help but join in. In the quiet of the night, it was quite possibly the single most relaxing moment in the time he and Finn left Lima, and for those few moments, running from the police and a psycho institution didn't seem as scary or important.

Eventually though, they settled down and Howard took a few drags from his cigarette, the smoke creating a thick cloud with the vapor of his hot breath. Kurt was thankful for the wind blowing it away from him rather than toward him.

"So the kid you brought with you? He all right?" Howard said soberly, "I know you guys didn't go out drinking."

The small smile on Kurt's lips slipped and he shook his head in agreement. "I don't think you'll believe me, I hardly believe it myself – I'm usually realistic kind of person and…well everything that's happened to us is anything but realistic…"

Howard glanced over his shoulder inside the brightly lit lobby of his cheap, but modest establishment. "So…he's okay?"

Kurt shook his head again. "I don't know. I can't take him to a hospital either."

Howard pulled out his cigarette and blew out a puff of smoke thoughtfully. "Right, the cops would get you…but you don't look that tough to me, how the hell'd you get on the wanted list? Or is your friend the real tough guy?"

Kurt stuffed his numb hands in the pockets of his thick coat. "It's hard to explain." As trusting as Howard seemed, he wasn't about to tell a complete stranger everything.

The man seemed to have gotten it and went back to thinking. "So is it like a coma? He sick?"

"No, just sleeping," Kurt blushed a little when the words left his mouth. It sounded stupid when he said it compared to all the worries he had since Orion made Finn go to sleep.

Howard's eyes widened in bemusement, "you serious? You're shittin' me, we carried him all the way to your room – I almost _dropped_ him – and he was just sleeping? Like honest to god sleeping?"

"Yep," Kurt nodded frankly.

Howard still couldn't believe it. He put his cigarette back on his lips only to realize that just the butt was left. Sighing in disappointment, he tossed it onto a bit of snow piled up by the parking lot.

Just as frankly, he said, "he's a pretty heavy sleeper."

He had meant it for Kurt to laugh or at least smile in amusement, but he still looked worried. Howard shook his head. He'd seen many strange people spend the night at his motel, mostly runaways and sleazy married men doing the infidelity thing, but this kid didn't seem the type who would want to leave his home by choice. He obviously grew up in a loving environment, and if his attachment to the other guy was true enough to go by, they both were not at all the type of criminals the papers were making them out to be.

"Listen," he scratched the side of his head feeling awkward, "I know you paid for the room I gave you, but how about I give you guys the suite?"

"What?" Kurt thought back to the prices of the rooms on the board behind the front desk. The suite had a few extra assets that he wouldn't mind needing, but could do without; the price wasn't worth it anyway.

"It's nothing fancy," Howard shrugged, "it's got a kitchen, better heating, television if you can bear it, and the view's not so bad." Kurt still looked hesitant, "free," he added, making him look even more doubtful. "Look, I can tell you haven't had good sleep in a while unlike Sleeping Beauty in there, the least I can do is offer a more comfortable room than that piece of crap you paid for."

Kurt stared at the floor; it felt like it had been a long time since he spoke to an adult before. The ones he had to sneak by all gave him dirty looks and demanded his age. It was oddly heart wrenching to come across a decent one who honestly wanted to look out for him. In that sense, Howard reminded him of his father, and it brought tears to his eyes.

"You can stay as long as you like, too," Howard cut through his thoughts, "don't worry about the cops, I won't say a word."

Kurt nodded quietly, blinking back tears that were threatening to spill. "Thank you." Howard grunted approvingly and made to light up another cigarette. Unable to stand the cold, and the worry he still had for Finn, Kurt excused himself, "I'd better check up on him."

"Sure I'll help you move in a minute," Howard muttered with his new cigarette between his teeth, "By the way, kid." Kurt turned to him expectantly, and the older man grinned back toothily, "welcome to Pittsburgh."

This time Kurt really did smile.

…

Now that he was out of the Network, Finn was starting to feel a little more _solid_ if that was the right word to describe it. He knew he was still dreaming, but at least now he actually felt like he was in his body and not in some kind of ghostly vessel. That wasn't what caught his attention though, it was where he landed.

When he was pulled by the gravity of the planet he first saw blue skies, and then a dark wide ceiling with huge stage lights that glared at him. Looking away, he found himself standing in the middle of a grand stage with an empty audience that extended for miles. Behind him was a piano, and microphone stand.

This was definitely Rachel Berry's world.

Sure enough, he heard the clipped clacking of heels approaching from behind the side of the stage. Stepping into the light in a '50's red bell dress, shiny black heels and long flowing hair was the star of the show.

"Rachel," Finn said softly, completely taken by her glowing appearance. The brunette turned to him and stopped short in surprise.

"Finn!" her hand flew to her chest. "I – I – what…what are you doing here?"

They stood there for a long while, yards from each other in the massive stage. The dorky romantic side of him thought this was supposed to be the part where they run into each other's arms and share a searing kiss, but he didn't budge, and neither did she. They merely stared at each other like they were caught doing something awful, and in a sense that was true. In reality, he cheated on her.

He cheated on Rachel.

It may have been a dream, but the guilt was really starting to hit him as hard as it would in reality. Rachel was imprisoned in Apate waiting for him, and he was running off and making out with Kurt – her best friend.

He really hit a new low. Looking at her lost yet beautiful face, he had no idea what to say or where to start. With shame, he found himself wondering exactly what Kurt had feared.

Why on earth did he kiss Kurt?

Suddenly, there were tears pouring from Rachel's eyes and for a moment he thought he said it out loud, but instead of yelling at him, she whimpered out, "I'm sorry. I've done something terrible."

"What?" he wanted to comfort her, but at the same time he was afraid to.

"They've been…" Rachel sniffled, "giving me this strange drug and…I got so addicted to it and…" she covered her face with her hands, shaking her head. "I can't control myself anymore. It's too strong!"

"What are you talking about?" he panicked, unable to stand seeing her cry, hesitantly he approached her and touched her shoulders, but she flinched away as if in fright. "Do you mean Apate?" he backed away, hurt that she didn't want his comfort.

Wiping her face, Rachel nodded, more tears spilling. "I don't know why, but they want to turn you into some kind of monster and…now everyone hates you and it's all my fault…" she sobbed. "I wanted to talk to you for so long…"

"Rachel I…" he couldn't tell her like this, he had to tell her straightforward in reality, not in some dream where she'd think he was just her imagination. "I missed you too," it was awful, but he hadn't spared her much of a thought recently. Now that he was standing in front of her, a part of him did miss her deeply.

He missed his friend.

"I'm sorry," she said again, wiping her face and finally looking at him with grief torn eyes. "I…I know I said it was okay…but then I saw him and it all came back and no matter how hard I try it's…too hard to _forget._ "

He didn't understand what she was talking about. Did she mean Jesse? Did he get caught by Apate too?

"I've tried to figure out how to tell you everything that's happened, but…" she swallowed, looking at the floor. She looked like a lost little girl, and it pained him to see her like this, "I don't want you to think that I hate you – I love you, I know you could never hurt me intentionally."

Hurt…her?

He stood there, piecing together what she meant. The incident at school. Waking up to seeing her in bandages. The shaken look that seemed to have become a permanent fixture in her face. Up to this day he still couldn't remember how he attacked her, but it would be stupid to think she'd gotten over it so easily.

Hurt her intentionally? On top of giving her a concussion, he cheated on her. He was the worst.

And like a flood, it spilled from his mouth. Everything from the dreams, to Kurt, to the black and white clown. Everything. Every single detail sprang out as if his guilt could no longer keep it hidden and was forcing it out. Whatever he hid even from Kurt, he said; eyes watering the more truth came out. And Rachel just stood there, too shocked to continue crying, tears drying on her unreadable face. By the end of it, Finn wanted to collapse, but he remained standing, waiting for Rachel to slap him, or yell at him.

Instead she said, "I'm not really dreaming, am I?"

"Wha…" he wiped his eyes, "no, you are I'm just…visiting. Or barging in, really."

"Okay," she said shakily, clasping her hands tightly, "okay…" she nodded. Finn didn't know what to do. She didn't seem mad, or about to cry, which was worse because he had no idea what was going on in her head. "It's okay."

"What?" he stared at her bewildered, "I…didn't you hear me? I – "

"Cheated on me, yes I got that," she said a little too sharply, silencing Finn. Sighing, she looked at her hands, trembling slightly in her effort to keep from exploding. "It's strange. Here I feel like I'm in control, but if you told me all this in reality, I think I'd just smile and nod," she smiled bitterly. "But to be honest…" she sighed again, looking up at the ceiling briefly as if that would dry the fresh tears forming in her eyes, "I already knew this was going to happen."

That…was not the answer he was expecting. All the same, it just made him feel even more horrible. "What?"

She smiled sadly, crossing her arms as if she were hugging herself. "You must have noticed by now. Even before you got institutionalized, you'd been going to Kurt more than me for comfort."

"But that's because – "

"I know," her smile tightened, "but think about it. After getting rid of the hallucinations for a while wouldn't you have come to me? Or at least be honest about what was happening? You should have seen the way you ran to him…remember when you came to my house after breaking out, but you wanted to be closer to Kurt than me – "

"I don't remember – "

"And when we visited you that one time and you didn't want him to leave…the way you hugged him just seemed like you wanted _him_ to stay more than take away the hallucinations." She shut her eyes tightly, some tears releasing. "I just pushed it aside as you two being brothers, but now that you're telling me all of this, it makes sense."

"But I'm not…I mean…" before meeting Ella he was so sure he felt something for Kurt. It was almost the same as how he felt for Rachel, and yet now that the clown was gone, it was like he could think a little more clearly now. Maybe it wasn't attraction that he felt for Kurt, maybe it was something else…something brotherly. This wasn't fair at all. He was hurting Rachel, and when he'd wake up, he'd be hurting Kurt all over again. Was that what the clown wanted? What kind of purpose did that even have aside from making him feel like a total dick?

Rachel took a deep breath, determination barely hiding the heartbreak. "When you wake up, you'll find out that I've done horrible things to you. Please don't let it get to you, I tried to stop myself, but Laurence kept me hypnotized the whole time." She shook her head in shame, "I…um…" her voice quivered, "I think we should end things here. You're confused, I'm a wreck…we can't go on this way."

He felt like someone tore his heart out without mercy. Rachel was looking at anywhere but him. They were so close, but she remained shut off, clearly not willing to close the gap between them. She was afraid of him, and it was all his fault.

"I'm sorry," was all he could say, even though he knew it wasn't nearly enough.

"It's not your fault – "

"Yes it is," he wanted to hold her, but stayed back reluctantly, "if I hadn't panicked, you'd be with me and Kurt – you'd never have been given – "

She shook her head sadly, "please don't do that. What's done is done," the forced smile was back, "besides, Matt came in a few days ago. He's forming a plan already, so…I'll be helping you out from Lima. If I get control of myself that is."

Matt was at Apate?

He tried not to get distracted; he hated seeing Rachel look so pained. "I'm gonna get you out of there, I swear."

"Just focus on Babylon, and we'll all be free in no time." Hesitantly, she reached out and pat his shoulder nervously. "They told me I had telekinesis."

"What?"

"My ability," she shrugged, "maybe it'll help you."

He'd been staring at her so long that it only took him that for him to realize that the room had been spinning for a while, or rather, there were things spinning around them. Looking around, the piano and whatever stage props lying around were now floating and lazily encircling them as if in a dance to a music of their own. He looked back at Rachel amazed.

They stood there for a long time, waiting for the other to react or at least leave, but nothing happened aside from the many objects floating around them. Finally losing her patience, Rachel pulled Finn down and pressed her lips against his.

It was warm and familiar.

Desperate and heartbreaking.

And when they pulled away, the last thing Finn heard before he woke up was a tearful…

"Good-bye."

…

When he opened his eyes he was welcomed to an unfamiliar white ceiling stained with age, and the worst pain imaginable throughout his whole body. Every inch of muscle on his body was on fire, like he was experiencing a full body cramp. His muscles twitched erratically in spasms, blinding him with white pain. He could barely make a sound it hurt so much.

'Sunshine! Sunshine! Sunshine!' he thought in panic.

And mercifully, his muscles gradually relaxed and he could sink into the stiff bed in relief. It still hurt; it kind of felt like he was melting into a goop of hot lava now, but at least it was quickly going away.

The moment of reprieve didn't last long, just as he was about to look around, a large hand wrapped around his neck, cutting off his windpipe. He was forced to look up at his assaulter, already guessing who it was.

But it wasn't the clown.

It was a man. He was dressed completely in black with wild brown hair and a pale rubber mask of a man's face. As he held Finn down with one hand he raised the other which held a murderous kitchen knife, dirtied black from past kills. The screams Finn wanted to emit were locked in his throat. He couldn't breathe, the pain from earlier had numbed his body so he couldn't even fight back.

From the corner of his eye a door opened, someone was shouting and running to him. He only had enough time to see that it was a half naked Kurt before the man swung down his knife.

"NO!" Kurt leaped at the man, but as soon as soon as he touched him the man vanished, but not before dealing a blow down Finn's shoulder.

He screamed as white hot pain blinded his vision. His arm felt like it had been cut off. This was more than just a hallucination, the pain was real, he could even hear Kurt shouting at him in panic, trembling hands pushing some kind of cloth over the gash. It hurt so much…

"Finn, think of Sunshine!" Kurt's frightened voice reached his ears.

And he did. He thought as hard as he could against the pain just as he had before, but instead of it disappearing, it only kept getting stronger. He could feel warm blood continue to flood out and dampen the pillow underneath him despite Kurt pressing the cloth over the wound.

"I can't," he gasped, "I can't! It's not working!"

"Okay," Kurt looked around feverishly, "Okay, I'll go get the first aid kit." First aid? Finn felt he needed a little more than that! "Just hold it there, I'll be right back." He grabbed Finn's good hand and placed it firmly over the now wet cloth before scrambling off somewhere.

He couldn't stop the whimper escaping him as he thought of Sunshine again. He thought of her descriptions over how her snapped spine went back into place after Kurt hit her with the car. The cuts she inflicted on herself healing in seconds…

Just like the first time the pain died away, and he could feel the wound on his shoulder start to close up at a dramatic speed. He winced when he felt bone clicking together, fully healed. By the time Kurt rushed back with gauze and a bottle of alcohol, the pain was only an aching memory and his shoulder held no sign of abuse.

"Okay," Kurt breathed as if he'd ran a marathon, he opened the bottle and gently moved Finn's hand away, "this is going to…" he stopped short, "…hurt."

Instead of the large gash, there was only smooth skin covered in blood. The wound was nowhere in sight. Numbly, Kurt sat down heavily next to Finn. His hands were still shaking uncontrollably, stained in Finn's blood and still clutching the gauze like a life line.

"How…" he was too shocked to finish his question.

"I thought of Sunshine," Finn cracked a weak smile.

"But you said… "

"I guess I didn't focus hard enough." He looked down at his shoulder. If Kurt had come a second too late, the killer would have stabbed him in the heart and then he really would have been a goner. He was lucky Kurt was able to…

Wait a minute.

He looked up at Kurt in surprise. "You saw my hallucination?"

Still caught up in awe over Finn's rapid healing, it took him a few seconds for Kurt to register what he meant. In the heat of the moment all he had thought of was Finn was about to get killed, he had to do something, but now that it was over…

"I…I did," Kurt's eyes widened in shock.

…

The plan was to knock Sam out and go to anyone that wasn't affected by Laurence's well worded messages. Well, really, she wanted to let out the truth, but she didn't know how, nor who to turn to. The only proof she had was Sam, but even with him, she didn't know how to go about convincing people that Apate was at fault of everything. Especially when he seemed so attached to the institution because of the Pollen given to him.

Just her luck as they passed Youngstown, Sam woke up and manipulated the road to turn back. She wasn't sure what he was planning, but when they reached a strange house with a crap car parked in front, she quickly understood. Somehow Sam heard her conversation with Laurence, and somehow, he knew exactly where to go.

Sure enough, after destroying private property, they found themselves standing in front of Kurt Hummel, apparently alone in what looked like an office.

After that it was a whirlwind of shouting, furniture flying, and a really strong girl holding her own against Sam's frightening ability.

Somewhere in the fight, Kurt and Finn managed to elude them again.

That was three days ago.

Jackie stared down the road they were driving through. Beside her, Sam remained silent at the wheel. It had been a long time since he took Pollen, but he no longer needed it. His new ability was enough to keep him occupied. Jackie observed him quietly, feeling like a trapped rat. She was no longer the one in control, he was. With just a twitch of a finger he could easily end her life if she tried to run away or stop him from capturing Finn and his brother.

The thing that constantly bothered her was the discussion they shared just before crashing into the Sato family home.

"Why do you have a mask on?" Sam had asked curiously.

It was a strange question that made the nurse look in the side mirror for anything weird on her face, but there was nothing. Not even make up, which she was sorely missing.

Cautiously, she sat back, "I don't know what you mean."

"Hm…" was all Sam replied with. They drive continued silently for a long while. A time in which Jackie deduced that the pollen not only brought out Sam's true abilities, but was now killing brain cells. She was imagining how he'd end up a drooling mess in a week when he spoke up again. "So what's your name?"

"Jackie," she said shortly, oddly thankful that she was able to least answer this.

Going past the sign welcoming them into Youngstown, Sam remained thoughtful. "No last name?"

"Er…T-Time," she stammered. The name didn't sound right rolling off her tongue, and it almost felt like she were saying it for the first time in her life. Quickly hiding her confusion, she looked out the window instead. "Why?"

"You have these red lines covering you, and a mask hiding your face," Sam said simply, "almost like they're hiding the real you."

"Really," she tried not to sound sarcastic. Whatever Sam was seeing, was pure hallucinations. It was a shock he could drive so well in spite of this. "So who am I really?"

Sam shrugged, "how should I know? Someone else put it there, not me." The nurse watched listlessly as the buildings passed by. The boy was messing with her, payback for what she'd done to him. "But you're not Jackie Time, and you're not a nurse." She bit her tongue, eager to defend her title, but knowing what could happen if she irritated Sam. "Man. Laurence is really powerful to make you believe all of that."

At the mention of the name, Jackie turned sharply to Sam and tried to hide her fear and disgust at how his face flushed with adoration. Almost as if he were in love with her superior.

Swallowing bile, she turned back to the window. Ever since then, the conversation had stuck to her like glue. Being told by a kid that you weren't who you were was something easy to ignore, but since it came from someone who could literally see all kinds of possibilities in the world, and then say that someone you thought you knew was responsible for changing your identity was something different.

So now as they drove down a road to who knows where, Jackie found herself looking in the mirror and constantly wondering the same fearful question.

Who am I?

…

Neither could really explain to each other why Kurt could suddenly see hallucinations that up until now were something only Finn suffered, nor could they explain why that hallucination – which wasn't supposed to be _real_ – was able to physically hurt Finn. The only theory they could come up with was that Finn's abilities could either be mutating, or he crossed paths with an infected who could create something out of nothing.

After washing his hands of dried blood, Kurt suddenly remembered that they _had_ met someone with powers similar to that.

"Sam?" Finn frowned, pulling on a shirt from his bag. "All he could do was make those crystal things and use them like bullets."

"It's different now," Kurt crossed his arms uncomfortably. "He found us at Ella's house and broke her – _his_ mental barriers. Orion tried to hide us but…" he shook his head, thinking back to the cold glare Sam had given him when he stepped into the office as if he owned it. "He wasn't able to make me invisible for some reason and our cover was blown. After that Sam started waving his hands around and the room suddenly just…" he shuddered, " _warped_ as if it were made of water. The books in the room flew to him and…I don't know I guess he was going to throw them at me, but he pulled out the pages and started throwing them around – they were like _knives_ I…" he sighed. "The more he used his ability, the more I understood that when he touched something, he can make it do whatever he wants – as if his imagination were coming to life."

"So even though I was asleep I was still able to learn his ability?" that still didn't make sense. If this were true he should have more powers by now since he stayed in an institution full of infected kids. There was also the night of his escape when a monster attacked him just across the street from his house. He couldn't believe anyone in the neighborhood would attack him, so that hallucination had to be real too…

Wasn't Ella supposed to help him with this? Then again they'd been attacked while he was in the middle of getting in the Network; Ella didn't have enough time but to guide him there.

Which reminded him.

He looked around the room that resembled more of a small apartment than any motel they stayed in. "Where are we? How long have I been out?"

Kurt seemed hesitant at first, then he leaned over to the bedside table where there was a neatly folded newspaper. "Pittsburgh," he said softly, "can't believe it took us this long to get out of Ohio…" hesitantly, he handed the paper to Finn. "You've been asleep for three days."

Unfolding it over his lap, Finn stared at the headlines.

A. S. VICTIM REVEALS TRUTH OF HUDSON & HUMMEL BROTHERS.

Underneath the headline was a picture of a tearful Rachel in familiar patient garments with a sympathetic Laurence Niac standing beside her with an arm around her shoulders. Next to the front page article were smaller reports on quarantines going out to some states, including a bar graph on infected kids.

Looking back over to the larger article, he skimmed over it, a sinking feeling growing in his stomach.

"No way…" he mumbled, the paper shaking in his hands. Love triangle? Abuse? "What the hell is this?" The article continued on page four and he hurriedly ripped it open to the page. There was a photograph of all three taking a picture in the choir room; it was some time before Kurt transferred. "What kind of report is this!?"

"I thought it was ridiculous too," Kurt was already digging through his bag, pulling out two other newspapers and handing them to Finn before grabbing a clean shirt and tugging it on. He had been in the middle of changing after a shower when he heard Finn waking up. Being half naked around the other boy for too long was starting to make him feel self conscious, "before there'd been reports of riots or new quarantines, but lately all anyone can talk about is this stupid love triangle." Finn looked at the other papers and it was true, they held more serious reports on death tolls and victims organizing themselves against the government. How the hell did a 'scandalous love story' become more important than all these tragedies?

"I don't get it," he looked at the three papers in disbelief. "It's like they're making us look evil on purpose rather than focus on anything else."

"They are," Kurt said grimly, and Finn looked up at him in surprise, "Before, the reports on you made adults afraid of you, but to infected kids you were a hero for simply breaking out of Apate. Look at who Rachel took the picture with." Finn flipped back to the front page to the picture of Laurence and the brunette. "Rachel would never say those things about you; I'm one hundred percent certain Laurence hypnotized her into saying it."

"But…why?" he put a hand to his temple; he was starting to get a headache.

"To get victims to lose faith in you," Kurt pointed to one of the smaller articles titled 'Infected Kids Organize'. It told of a few strand three kids turning manic with power over their new abilities, and of others declaring war against them. At first Finn couldn't understand how this fit in with him. He had sent the message for them _not_ to do this, and yet in the Network though it seemed they wanted to follow his advice, they suddenly changed their minds and turned angry. Could that have been around the time this article came out? If he thought about it, he would lose faith too if the person he looked up to suddenly became the villain.

He'd lost the advantage of getting the infected to help him. Meaning he truly was alone in his mission.

Was this what Rachel meant when she said she'd done something horrible?

"I have to go back in the Network," he decided quietly.

"No."

"They're going to kill each other!"

"You were out for three days!" Kurt raised his voice over his, grudgingly silencing Finn. "I thought you'd fallen into a coma," his bottom lip trembled. "Do you know how tempted I was to take you to the hospital? You wouldn't even budge when I tried to wake you. Ella said you'd wake up on your own, but the longer you slept, the harder it was to believe him…"

Finn watched him as he composed himself. There were dark circles under his eyes, and though only three days passed, he seemed a bit thinner than he last saw him. He hadn't eaten or slept well. Finn couldn't imagine what he was going through in the time he'd been asleep. In only the twenty plus minutes he'd been in the Network, three days had passed. If he jumped back in, more time would be wasted and more quarantines would be issued out. Probably across the whole world.

But what about those kids? If he didn't do something, they'd end up killing each other before Apate would get to them.

He looked at the newspaper with Rachel's photo. This was worse than a petty gossip story. It affected all of the victims; no one was on his side now. Even if he stopped Apate, what then?

"Please, don't go back in," Kurt said quietly. "What if you never wake up?"

He looked over the papers once more. The suicides had decreased dramatically, but the raids were soon replacing those numbers. Apate was now being seen as a beacon in the chaos unfolding in the country. Going back in the Network meant he could stop this, but at what cost?

"Fine," he relented, "I won't go in."

"Good," Kurt sighed. He seemed to have deflated, leaving him the picture of exhaustion. Sheepish, Finn shuffled aside, pulling him down next to him. Not resisting, Kurt made himself comfortable, for once not caring of what unholy substances touched the bed sheets. "The guy in charge knows who we are – "

"What!?"

"Its fine," Kurt waved around the small apartment. Finn noted that for once they had a small kitchen with a refrigerator and microwave. He hadn't seen a decent kitchen in a long time, and he wondered how much Kurt had to pay for the room. "The guy – Howard, is letting us stay for free. He isn't hypnotized like everyone else," he added, noting Finn was still nervous, "he actually can't stand TV now so he just reads the papers."

As if called, the door knocked. Eager to move around, Finn slipped out of bed and answered it. A burly man in his forties looked him up and down. Bushy brows furrowing skeptically. Finn bit back a yelp in surprise, cursing himself for at least not putting on a fake beard before answering the door.

"Sleeping Beauty finally woke up," Howard grunted, giving him a wry grin. Finn didn't know what to say to that, but the man merely chortled, "I was wondering what all that screaming was, you've been out for three days."

"Yeah…I…" where were the threats of calling the cops? He noted the pin on the plaid shirt indentifying the man. "You're Howard."

"Pleased to meet you," the man nodded, "just wanted to check up on you two," he looked over Finn's shoulder to Kurt, who had suddenly fallen asleep in his fatigue. "Good, at least he'll be able to rest now that you're up."

"Um…" Finn still felt uncertain, which Howard took in stride.

"I won't ask any questions," he said seriously, "I know enough to get that you guys aren't what the papers are making you out to be."

"Really," Finn found that hard to believe.

Howard raised an eyebrow sardonically, "come on, you really think your friend can kill anyone?" He had a point. "You guys can stay as long as you want, just be careful when you leave, there's cops all over the place." Finn nodded, still unsure of whether to trust this man or not. He seemed genuine, but how long was this hospitality going to last? Howard nodded his chin to Kurt, "he's been watching over you ever since you got here – hasn't had decent sleep for three days. He's a good kid, I hope you are too. Anyway, I'd better get back, just wanted to give you the heads up – need anything, just call the front desk." Nodding to himself, Howard walked back down the hall to the stairs that led to the lobby, whistling an old tune.

Shutting the door, Finn wasn't sure that conversation just happened. He couldn't believe there was an adult out their willing to help him out. He turned back to the bed where Kurt was sleeping peacefully. Even after showering, it didn't seem enough to keep the slimmer teen awake, and after seeing Finn awake and safe, the shock must have added to how bone tired he was.

He'd been worrying over him for three days.

Finn's chest clenched. He remembered his conversation with Rachel as clearly as the knife that was jammed to his shoulder. Their relationship was unofficially over – he still considered dreams a bad excuse for breaking up. Rachel believed he had feelings for Kurt, and a few days ago he would have agreed. Except now the clown was gone and everything seemed much clearer now. Those sudden desires that exploded in Youngstown were now ghosts of what they used to be. He was nowhere near rational, but at least now he could tell that these feelings were honestly his own.

The first time he kissed Kurt it felt electric and adventurous.

Unconsciously, Finn touched his lips, the memory of their first kiss still there and very real.

What would happen if he kissed Kurt again?

It took him a second to realize he was actually considering this. Flushing in embarrassment he tried to stuff down his curiosity and head for a quick shower. As he turned on the shower head and undressed, he found himself thinking that maybe it wasn't so bad to think about it. He was so scared of hurting either Rachel or Kurt that he didn't really consider himself. What did _he_ want? Maybe it didn't matter whether or not his feelings were sparked by manipulated dreams, or that people thought he and Kurt were runaway lovers.

Maybe…maybe if he really thought about it, there really _was_ something there.

He was scared and excited. And why was that? It was like all those times back in Lima when he anticipated Kurt coming home, or when he'd visit him at Apate. The clown may have twisted his dreams, but with his power he could have done much worse, why guide him to Kurt? What if it didn't take much manipulating in the first place?

What if all he did was open a door Finn himself locked tight out of fear?

Under the steaming hot shower of water splashing over his body, Finn shut his eyes and for once tried not to be afraid anymore.


	21. Training

…

Chapter Twenty One

Training

…

Sleeping for three days had taken a toll on his body. It felt like he was in that weak and dazed state right after recovering from a fever. With the shock of almost getting killed by a hallucination, his body was ready to topple over. The shower helped though, as well as a good helping of breakfast lunch and dinner all at the same time. Kurt hadn't woken up yet, and Finn figured he wouldn't for a while. Just as he'd been asleep for three days, Kurt had been awake in that time as well. What little sleep he managed to get was obviously not enough.

_"If you come to Babylon, you will die."_

Those words had been running through Finn's mind ever since he woke up. It hadn't felt like a threat the more he thought about it. It felt like a prediction. A statement. If Kurt had been awake he'd either try to convince him that it wouldn't happen, or urge him to not go to Babylon.

Finn gently tucked the bed sheets over Kurt's sleeping form. He was completely conked out, even over the noises Finn had made in the small room he didn't stir, and it made Finn feel horrible over everything he'd put him through. If he didn't need him so badly to keep his sanity, Finn would have gone on this by himself.

But the problem was he needed him, and even if he didn't Kurt would still be by his side.

Sighing, Finn gingerly sat by Kurt, wondering what their next move should be. Even after visiting Ella and going through the Network he still had many unanswered questions. Was he really going to die? At this point after being stabbed on the shoulder he wasn't sure how ready he was for Babylon. He didn't have a plan of attack when he'd get there either. There would be victims there that Apate would consider good enough for further study, so that meant they had to be strong.

They were probably under Apate's control like Sam, too.

Apart from that small army was the one in charge of everything. After seeing those planets in the Network that so obviously belonged to adults, Finn was sure that this woman had abilities herself. If not, an incredible sense of manipulation to get the government to kneel under her.

_"If you come to Babylon, you will die."_

Finn twitched involuntarily as those words slipped in his head again. He believed it. Part of him wanted to runaway and stay hidden for the rest of his life, but another part wanted to stubbornly push on. What good was the world left if he did nothing to stop Apate? In the beginning he couldn't understand why he was the best option for the job. Now, though, he was starting to see why Ella and especially Suzy, had so much faith in him.

As a dream wanderer he could travel through people's minds and unlock clues to getting to Babylon that the two other dream wanderers couldn't reach. As an empath he could gain abilities and use them for himself. By now he gained self regeneration, a better control of his dream wandering abilities thanks to Ella, phasing, and if he practiced it enough times, telekinesis. There could also be the possibility that he gained Matt's time jumping, and Orion's 'word action' since he was able to see both displayed. The more abilities he gained, the more powerful he could be. The problem would be how much control he'd have over it. Just moments ago he almost bled to death from something that shouldn't have existed in the first place.

Sunshine's ability didn't help him until he focused hard enough. That would be troublesome if he found himself in the heat of battle. In the time he actually did managed to heal himself, someone else could come in and drive a bullet in his head before he could realize what happened. That's what frightened him and put doubt in him now. What if with all this power, it still wasn't enough?

And what about Kurt? He watched him sleep peacefully, not feeling very peaceful himself.

If he went to Babylon. He would die.

Finn sighed and ran a hand through his ginger dyed hair. If he really was going to die, he had stop Apate before that would happen. And Kurt…

Would have to learn to live without him.

It felt hard to breathe when he thought this. Since the day he learned that Kurt could take away his hallucinations, Finn couldn't imagine living without him. Now those sentiments had changed drastically during their run from Apate. He didn't want to part from Kurt just to keep his sanity. He wanted him to stay with him because he was _Kurt_.

Kurt's chest rose and fell at a slow and calming pace, unaware of the turmoil Finn was burying himself in. He knew what Kurt would say if he told him about the warning the clown had given him. He knew he'd only worry him further, and after everything they went through, he didn't want to add that to the growing list of things that were causing Kurt to lose sleep.

Finn looked away, his body aching with something he was afraid to say out loud. The more he looked at Kurt, the stronger it became. He needed to distract himself, focus on something other than the boy sleeping next to him.

Shaking his head, Finn went to his bag for a change of clothes good enough to go outside in without getting recognized. He needed to buy some sharpies.

…

The office he woke up in was a startling and jarring surprise that was not at all pleasant and had him feeling like he wanted to throw up. For one thing, he distinctly remembered being in his apartment and becoming sleepy after eating the left over Christmas dinner he still had piled in his refrigerator. Not wanting to sleep on a full stomach he went to the living room for a bit of television before turning in.

Then…

That was all he could remember.

Blinking perplexedly, he stood up from the desk chair he'd been sleeping on and walked around the intimidating desk. There was a wall covered in a large black curtain, and out of curiosity, he peeled it back a little bit. The light shooting into his eyes took him a second to get adjusted to, but when he did, he immediately got that it was around midday and what the black curtain was hiding was a massive room below crowded with nurses and children dressed in white patient's attire. With a growing sense of apprehension, he backed away and stumbled over the desk, knocking over something that hit the floor with a clank. Blindly, he kneeled down and picked it up.

It was gold plaque that read CEO Laurence Niac.

He dropped the plaque as if burned, and in fright, fumbled it back into place, looking around and hoping no one saw that.

So he was in Laurence Niac's office. The man had made a name for himself in just a few short days without really trying. He never liked the guy even if he never met him in person – he reeked of hidden agendas of the sinister kind. What the hell was he doing in this man's office? How did he even get here?

Just as he wondered this, the door clicked open and a middle aged woman with a forgetful face walked in. He panicked and tried to find the right words to say without sounding like a lunatic or burglar.

The nurse saved him the time, "Hello Mr. Niac, ready for your shot?" she said sweetly, holding up a syringe and wiggling it cutely. "I've raised the dosage like you said."

"I'm sorry?" he shook his head in confusion, but the woman merely smiled, "I'm not Laurence Niac, I…" why was she calling him that anyway? There was no way she could have mistaken him for the CEO. "What's going on?"

"Oh, it's all right," she steered him over to the desk chair and sat him down. Numbly, he allowed her, not quite sure how to take any of this. "The illusion Mr. Niac had on himself weakened and you finally woke up, but don't worry, everything will be all right again."

He didn't like where this was going. "No, I don't think you understand, I'm not Laurence Niac – I don't look anything like him!" He squirmed away from her grasp and away from the syringe. Something was very wrong. Why was he here? Why couldn't he remember? "I'd like to go home."

"You are home, sweety," the nurse said, waving behind her. Two burly men in white entered the office. He watched them in growing panic as they approached him, already knowing what was about to happen. "Now just sit down and – "

"Wait a minute, what's going on?" he backed away fearfully, "someone please give me an explanation!"

One of the men made a grab for him, but he jumped out of reach and gave up demanding answers and made a break for the door. Unfortunately, once he reached it he saw the hallway crowded with security guards all with their guns aimed at him. The sight was enough to paralyze him in shock. He was cornered, and yet he had no idea why. What had he done? Why was he here? Why were people referring to him as the man who locked away children?

"No…" he backed away fearfully. Two pairs of strong arms wrapped around him from behind and the panic really set in. He twisted and turned, screaming for help, flinging his legs in futile hope that it would knock out one of the big men. "NO! PLEASE! STOP!"

He shrieked in pain as something sharp pierced his arm. He tried pulling away, but the men held his arm stubbornly as the nurse injected whatever was in the syringe into his system.

His vision darkened and his desperate pleas sank into murmurs as his body relaxed and fell limp. His head lulled to the side, the last thing he could see before falling asleep being his sweater and pants transforming into a black suit.

The nurse and guards waited patiently as their superior came to. He shook his head and shuddered in the transformation that had become second nature to him he didn't need to focus on as much as he used to. He was in pain, but he stood up and composed himself quickly, throwing the nurse a sharp look as he smoothed his jet black hair back.

"You're late," he said curtly.

"We apologize sir," the nurse replied, all sweetness removed from her voice. "One of the patients 'woke up', we had to get her back in control."

"Hm," Laurence walked over to his desk, "Because of your tardiness He's now aware of who I am. It won't be easy keeping Him in control anymore. Was it Rachel Berry?"

"Yes," the nurse nodded. Behind her the guards stuffing the hallway could see the danger had passed and were now getting up to leave. "We've had to up the dosage, unfortunately."

"I'll have to speak with the Neurobiology Department," Laurence murmured distantly, opening the laptop at his desk and sitting down, "162 is starting to lose its affects – there's a flaw somewhere."

"162 is stronger than its predecessor," the nurse said cautiously, "too much on someone like Berry could break down her nervous system and leave her in a vegetable state."

"Sam's worked perfectly with 162," Laurence argued back calmly.

"Evans's system is unlike anything we've ever seen," she said rationally, "it's highly adaptable which is why he was able to take such high doses. Rachel Berry is just not that monstrously strong. None of the patients are."

"I'll keep that in mind," he looked over Rachel's profile, the big X covering her photograph marring the toothy smile. It indicated that she was not mentally nor physically capable of handling high doses of Pollen. He'd been aware of this since her integration to Apate, and was honestly not sure what would happen to her if she ever managed to leave the drug. Suzy Pepper's fate was an obvious answer, but that was if she decided to continue using her abilities even in dreams. "Berry's already completed her use to our cause, keep her doses normal and be sure that she doesn't use her abilities to excess or at all."

The nurse and guards by her side tried to hide their surprise, "yes, sir," was all she could say in her shock. Perhaps the shot she gave him was losing its affects as well.

"Now get back to work," the gaze he had over them was stone cold and completely Laurence Niac, erasing any doubts that he wasn't the man they thought he was. Jolting, they scrambled out of the office to their posts.

…

The motel had a few guests wandering around when he came back from the store. No one had bothered him, and didn't seem to care for his presence, more occupied with their own little worlds than the guy with the oversized beard and chunky coat that made him look fat. It suited Finn just fine, but it didn't stop his heart racing in fear that any second, someone would look straight at him and recognize him from the news.

Yeah, this wasn't as cool as the movies made it look at all.

When he got to the safety of his and Kurt's room, he realized that in the whole time he'd been away from his stepbrother, not one hallucination came to attack him. He hadn't been gone long though, the store was right across the street and the only things he got were markers and some frozen foods that were under twenty dollars.

Setting the bag by the stove, he went back to the bedroom area and saw that Kurt was still asleep. He turned over at some point and now his bleached blond hair was pointing out in tufts. It made him look like a child and Finn couldn't help but smile at the sight.

Shaking his head, he turned back to the bag and pulled out the pack of sharpies he bought. The plan was to practice the abilities he'd learned, but he didn't want to cause a raucous and wake Kurt up. He needed a big empty space where no one could bother him. The parking lot was a possible choice, but most of the rooms over looked it, someone would see him and report him to the police, Finn or not he was still a kid with the Alice Syndrome. Maybe if he went to the roof…

Would the owner give him the key?

Just as he went to the door, he remembered that the hallucinations could still come to life later on. Biting his bottom lip, he went back to Kurt and grabbed the hand that had been peeking out from the sheets. The touch hadn't even stirred the sleeping boy. How long could they last before falling from exhaustion? Finn wondered.

There were so many questions swimming in his head. He still felt responsible about the kids out there causing riots. The Network would help him stop them, but he promised Kurt never to go back in. And Kurt had been so worried over him…

Sighing, Finn pulled off the fake beard and sat down beside the sleeping boy.

The truth had started to surface when he was dreaming – he knew he was beginning to doubt his feelings for Kurt, but he was awake now, and he was a mess of confusion all over again. Looking back at the desperation he felt for wanting Kurt that he would break up with Rachel just to have him…it felt like another person. He may have started to pull away from Rachel, but he wasn't so bad that he'd leave her at the drop of a hat just to be with someone else. The break up in her dream was hard, seeing her reminded him that he did miss her, that he did love her even if it wasn't as strong as before.

Now seeing Kurt with the clown gone and his feelings back under his control, it was like waking up from a strange and bizarre dream. Kurt was still Kurt. Nothing had changed about him except exhaustion. He remained by his side, taking care of him when he was in the Network, saving him from hallucinations, and trusting in his decisions. On top of hiding from police and anyone who could report them, sacrificing the luxuries of life for necessities that would make anyone mad with frustration, Finn was surprised Kurt was still with him.

It amazed him how important Kurt had become to him in such a short time. If it hadn't been for Apate, he and Rachel would be walking down McKinley halls hand in hand while Kurt would be off at Dalton trying to turn his friendship with Blaine into something more.

Oddly, at the thought of Kurt's friend Finn's mood turned slightly sour.

And why wouldn't it? He rationalized. Things had changed between Kurt and him. They _kissed_. _Multiple_ times. All initiated by _him_.

And they were nice kisses, too.

He used to think that kissing a guy would be awkward with hard lips and teeth, and it sort of had been like that with Kurt yet it wasn't weird.

Rachel had said he'd become more attached to Kurt than to her. He looked down at Kurt's face – rid of stress and tension. He'd been waiting three days for him to wake up. He was probably also waiting to see where their relationship stood.

No, Finn corrected himself. He'd been waiting far longer than that.

This wasn't fair to Kurt. Finn had to give him his answer soon.

Reluctantly standing up, Finn slipped on the fake beard and left the room. He needed that key to the roof, there were a lot of things he needed to do before Kurt woke up.

…

They stopped at a motel in Pennsylvania. From what Jackie could remember, they were in Harrisburg. Try as she might, she couldn't distract herself with the buildings and people they drove past, that conversation she had with Sam had bothered her deeply. Looking at the blond settle in his bed, she wondered why he decided to stop here so suddenly.

"Finn might lose his car here," Sam answered, digging through the bag Jackie had supplied for him in their chase.

"Might?" Jackie raised her eyebrows, "are you sure he's even coming here?"

"It's a possibility," Sam slipped out of his sweater and pulled on a plain shirt. "Ever since we've been after Finn, I've noticed something interesting," Jackie waited expectantly as he put on a pair of pajama bottoms. "I see possibilities, but also truths – I'm getting better at understanding the signs."

Jackie didn't know how to make sense of this. She already knew about Sam's abilities before he did. "And?"

"In Youngstown I saw a building underground just at the outskirts. I ignored it because Finn was a higher priority." He sat down on the bed, his face not showing any sign of confusion or agitation. Clearly what he just said didn't sound weird to him at all, but the nurse was completely lost.

"Undergro – ?"

"It wasn't through X-Ray vision, I saw it as a blueprint, most things I see now are like cartoons," Sam shrugged, "it was an abandoned Apate facility, isn't that strange?"

"Apate?" Jackie frowned, "that's not surprising, it's common knowledge within Apate that before settling in Lima, a previous facility was in Youngstown."

"There was also one in Pittsburgh, and one here – Harrisburg," Sam continued. "Do you think it's a coincidence that Finn and Kurt happened to be in the same place?"

Jackie's eyes widened. She never knew there were other facilities abandoned of Apate. Then again, their research was extensive, it would make sense that they were in different locations to continue experimentations. The question Sam was asking, though, held an dark note to it. "You think they know about those places?"

"No, they were nowhere near the facilities," Sam was quick to answer, "but I'm sure that in the other cities they stayed at were previous homes to Apate as well. I just stopped here on a hunch."

Jackie frowned, "and what about Babylon?"

Sam shook his head, "they'll be losing their car here, they'll be at their _weakest_ here. I'm sure of it." Hesitantly Jackie dug through her bag for her own change of clothes. "Besides, if we don't stop them here, they'll reach Babylon in no time."

Jackie looked up at Sam, and for the first time saw concern on his face, whether for himself or the friend he was trying to arrest, she was not sure.

…

Howard was a gruff, but kind man. Something that was refreshing in the days Finn and Kurt had spent running. It didn't take too much convincing for Finn to get the key, but the owner _was_ worried he was going to do something stupid.

"I'm not giving you something like assisted suicide am I?" the man asked lightly, not quite handing over the key yet, his eyes hard with concern. "I know about the symptoms of the Alice Syndrome, and this isn't a tall building, but the roof is high enough."

"I'm not going to - !" Finn almost pouted, why did everyone assume he wanted to kill himself? "I just need some fresh air, and the roof is the only place for that. It's too risky to go outside where people are all over the place," he mumbled the last bit as an old couple walked by to the doors. He ducked his head in paranoia. Howard eyed him skeptically, the key still clutched in his fist.

"What are you gonna do up there – stare at the sky? It's freezing, I'd figure you'd want to stay inside and have a hot cocoa." He crossed his arms, "I kind of want one, actually…"

"It's only for a few hours," Finn insisted, "I just need some time to myself so I…" he thought quickly, "can figure out a plan…"

Howard still needed a little more convincing. "I've gotten to know the Hummel kid the few days he's been here, I trust him enough, but I don't know you. What are you going to do up there? I said I wouldn't ask questions, but if it means destroying my establishment, I'd like to know."

Finn huffed, staring at Howard's hand that carried his ticket to controlling his powers. "You said you read the papers right?" He nodded with a grunt. "The disease also gives us ...abilities…"

Howard stared at him flatly, waiting to see if he was going to grow a second head. "Shit, you sayin' that's true?" Finn was about to say something more, but a young woman came by to turn in her key. He waited nervously as Howard calmly took it and accepted the last payments of her stay. When she was gone, Finn tried to breathe normally.

"I just need some time alone to…practice."

"Huh…" Howard had a mind to go outside for a smoke. He remembered Kurt told him they'd been going through things he wouldn't believe. He could only imagine what Finn 'abilities' were. "So you can what – breathe fire or something? Fly like Superman?"

"I'd rather not talk about it, but I promise to keep your roof intact," Finn said instead. The older man made a noise of disappointment, but relented and handed over the key. "Thanks," then after a thought he asked, "you wouldn't happen to have anything you wouldn't mind me throwing around?"

At this, Howard seemed less willing to give than the key, but he sighed and shrugged, "yeah, I got a bunch of junk."

So compared to the other scenarios that Finn had thought up, convincing Howard to give him the roof had been no trouble at all. Although now he did wish that he attained the ability to breathe fire, it really was cold up on the roof, and the snow that piled over the black ground didn't make him feel any warmer. However, it was much safer than the parking lot. The building was shaped in an L, and he was in an area where people below would really have to crane their necks to spot him. The fence lining the edge of the roof also hid him from complete view, and provided safety in case a hallucination managed to toss him around. A little relieved at this, he removed his fake beard and stuffed it in his pocket. While it had kept his face warm it smelled funky and itched something fierce.

Dropping the bag, Finn tugged the coat tighter around him. It hadn't been long since he held Kurt's hand, he'd have to wait it out or somehow make the hallucinations come at his own will, the latter of which he didn't want to do. Taking a deep breath, he opened the pack of sharpies and picked out a black one. He may as well try to see if he got Orion's ability.

Just his luck that as he was in the middle of writing 'Warmth' on his wrist, something moved at the corner of his eye. Slowly, he looked up, already knowing what it was.

It was a cross between a man and a crab. Completely white and with a mouth that contained several little sharp teeth built to cut through meat. Its arms were wide and thick, instead of hands there were claws, and they were snapping with hunger. Swallowing down his fear, Finn clenched his trembling fists and focused on breathing.

'You're in control,' he kept thinking in his head. 'You're stronger.'

Sweat was starting to bead at his forehead as the creature took a few predatory steps forward, but he stayed still and kept his eyes straight at it. The crablike thing hesitated, confused that he hadn't run away, but it only paused for that second before pitching forward for the kill.

His resolve snapped, Finn bolted.

…

The place was dark when he finally woke up feeling more rested than he had in days. Looking over the clock, it was half past midnight, and apart from himself, Kurt was alone. Alarmed, he sat up and was momentarily woozy from the sudden movement. There was no noise coming from the bathroom, the second bed was empty and the small dimly lit kitchen held nothing but a plate by the stove covered by another plate.

Where was Finn? He slipped out of bed and approached the kitchen, not liking the silence that hissed throughout the small apartment. All of their stuff was still on the floor, so he couldn't have run away. Why would he? Kurt was the only reason he could walk around without getting attacked by his own hallucinations.

The note on the plate answered his question.

_'Eat first then come to the roof'_

Frowning, Kurt removed the plate covering his dinner which was a modest helping of eggs, bread, and chicken nuggets. Normally such a helping would make him skeptical and running to the fridge for a more balanced meal, but his stomach grumbled, reminding him that he hadn't eaten well. Giving the note one last look, he walked to the fridge for some of the orange juice he bought the other day.

…

It was dark when she opened her eyes. At least she assumed it was dark, unless she was actually in a well lit room and she was now blind. She moved to sit up, but fell back with a whimper of pain. There was a sharp burning in her chest, as if a gaping hole had been blown there. Shakily brushing over it, she felt bandages. The pain had felt like it was coming directly from her heart and she started to panic that she was having a heart attack.

A heart attack at her age. This didn't spell out a healthy future for her, she thought wryly.

The loud creak of a heavy metal door opening and closing caught her attention. She tensed up in alarm as approaching footsteps reached her side without introduction.

"Who's there?" she had wanted to sound demanding and pissed off, but it came out in a quiver and the mysterious intruder giggled softly, revealing it to be a woman.

"Don't be afraid," she said warmly, placing a soft hand over the girl's forehead, "you've been though a long and hard surgery, my surgeons as surprised you're even alive – _I'm_ surprised. And impressed."

"Surgery?" that explained the bandages and pain, "for what?"

"A few days ago you were shot," the woman explained bluntly, "in the heart."

" _What_?" she reached for her chest again and winced, "how am I alive? I…I don't remember…"

"Just relax," the woman said soothingly, "I'm here to get you through this – "

"Where am I?" she tried to sit up, but the pain pushed her back down, "shouldn't I be given painkillers!?"

"Just relax or you'll put your heart through too much stress, Lily," the woman held her down, but not viciously. All of her movements were gentle and kind, but it did nothing to stop the girl from knowing that something wasn't right.

"Where am I?" she demanded again more heatedly, "and I'm not _Lily_ , my name is Quinn Fabray!"

There was a moment of silence in which the woman gently prodded her eyelids to get a better look at her eyes. Quinn jerked away, wincing again when pain shot up from her chest.

"You're in my clinic," the woman replied, "you're safe, no harm will come for you here."

"What's – " Quinn jerked in surprise when something pierced her forearm. Before she could finish her sentence, she fell limp, back to unconsciousness.

…

The world he currently found himself in seemed to have no laws of logic. There were tables floating in the sky. Stairs that had no direction, and a garden populated by flowers that could talk and sing, though personally he preferred they'd stay quiet. It was a strange world, and yet not unwelcoming, and as he walked deeper into the gardens, he found who he was looking for.

Sitting at a table a few feet from the ground were Ella and Suzy enjoying afternoon tea. They looked up, or rather looked down, as Finn approached them.

"Uh…hi," was all he could say to the strange sight. Out of all the dreams he had, this was the liveliest he'd seen Suzy yet. Other than being pale, there was no sign of death upon her. Her clothes weren't in rags, but in a pastel yellow summer dress that flowed down and just barely touched the ground. As usual, Ella was in her trademark bell shaped dress but with less frill and startling colors, his light blue knee high boots glinted in the sunlight, the ridiculously high heels making him seem even taller even though he was sitting down. His large summer hat was also hanging off the corner of his chair, the thick ribbon wrapped around it flowing with the summer breeze.

While he tried to take in the sight, the stone path Finn had been walking on sprang to life and threw him up high without apology. He yelped in shock as he sailed in the air, his arms flinging this way and that until he settled suddenly on the only empty chair at the table. Shaken, his gripped the table and tried to get his bearings together.

"You've gotten better in handling your abilities," Ella said, giving him a nod of approval, "as well as Orion's."

At this, Finn looked at his right hand where the word 'Awake' was written in marker over it. In reality, he had written 'Sleep' on the other hand, which was now gone. "I was worried," he said, looking up at the decorated boy, "Kurt told me what happened…I have a lot of questions."

Ella nodded grimly, taking a sip of his tea, "our home was destroyed. Whatever that kid did to my mental barriers, they're gone now. We're safe -so don't worry about that, he and his friend didn't arrest us they were more interested in you. We're currently hiding in a cargo train on route to Connecticut."

"Oh," hiding in a cargo train didn't exactly spell out 'safe' to him, but if Ella was talking to him so casually maybe they were. He looked over to Suzy who smiled at him quietly. He felt like he hadn't seen her in ages. "You look great," was all he could say. The girl's smile widened and gave a nod in thanks.

"You'll have to forgive Suzy," Ella said apologetically dipping a sugar cookie into his tea, "it's been almost a month since her death. She can no longer speak."

Finn's face fell, but Suzy reached across the table and pat his hand, pointing to her smile which didn't seem forced. In fact, it actually looked rested. Finn wondered if speaking was what held Suzy back from being able to properly communicate with him. She always seemed to struggle in his dreams, but now he felt she wouldn't disappear again.

"She's impressed with you as I am over your progress, although seeing your form in the Network, I'm not surprised at all," Ella smiled, biting into his cookie. At Finn's confused look he went on to say, "from what I can tell our DNA takes visual form when we're in the Network – they become our bodies so we have a bit of a grounding to move around. You remember that I had a blue-ish hue," Finn nodded, "but yours had no definite color – it kept changing."

"Isn't that…" he'd been thinking about this for a while, and he figured it made sense, "because I'm an empath?"

"Exactly," Ella grinned while Suzy nodded happily. "Your DNA can never have a single identity because it constantly changes, and being in the presence of so many victims in the Network, you were basically reflecting their colors off of yourself. Being empathetic has also made you highly adaptable; you've realized this, haven't you."

Finn nodded sheepishly. "I've been practicing all day – I'm getting better, even with the hallucinations."

"Good," Ella sipped his tea with a pleased smile. "But that's not why you came looking for me."

"No," Finn confirmed, looking down at the little cup of tea that appeared before him. He wasn't feeling in the mood for it so he ignored it. "You remember when I got rid of the clown, what he said…"

All pleasantries left Ella and Suzy's faces. They looked at each other with something Finn couldn't understand, but made him feel pitied. Setting down his tea, Ella was quiet for a while before choosing to speak again.

"You know we're not forcing you on this mission," he said soberly, "I know we've said you're the one who has to do it, but you still hold the decision on whether or not you want to." Finn nodded, staring down at his untouched tea, "if it makes it any easier, I think bringing Kurt with you was a good idea." He looked up in surprise, not sure how to take that, "the clown you got rid of was not your imagination, but the entity of an intruder," Ella explained, "he's terrorized you for a long time, and yet just the sight of Kurt has him cowering. For some reason he greatly fears him."

"Why?" Finn frowned. He didn't think of that until now, but he remembered the sight of the clown scrambling on the ground from Kurt all donned up like a knight. It was weird, but at least it got rid of the clown for the moment.

Ella shrugged, unable to answer his question. "Why would he set you up with the one person he's afraid of? I wouldn't know, clowns are weird, they're all backwards," he shared a look of agreement with Suzy before turning back to Finn, "but whether he spoke the truth or not…about killing you. It's still your decision to make." His eyes softened, "we won't hold it against you if you back out."

Finn let out a breath of defeat. "So what do I do about Kurt?"

"That is entirely up to you," Ella said simply, raising his eyebrows. The answer didn't appease Finn, and he went back to staring at the tea, a plate of cookies appeared beside it, but he had no appetite for them either. "I woke up earlier than you; I know how much that article affected the victims."

"The clown is working for Apate," Finn said quietly, "they're setting me up to look like the bad guy."

"So by being with Kurt, it only makes the stories true," Ella finished, nodding darkly. "It's not fair to the two of you."

"It doesn't make sense either," Finn shook his head, "why are they making this so public?"

"To distract you maybe?" Ella shrugged, "frankly, I've never fully understood the actions of that institution. Why change the genetic code of kids and then imprison them all? Or hypnotize everyone to your bidding?" Ella turned to Suzy who shared his confusion. "As far as the matter of Kurt goes, that's not for anyone but you to say, we can't tell you how to feel or how you shouldn't."

Finn's shoulders dropped helplessly. "I don't want to hurt him again."

Suzy held his hand, making him look up at her. She looked saddened that he was so down, but still she gave him a small smile and shook her head. No, he wasn't going to hurt Kurt.

"Considering the circumstances," Ella interrupted lightly, "I think you already know how to deal with this."

"How?" Finn frowned.

Ella smirked playfully, hiding it behind his tea cup. "He's already you're Knight in Shining Armor, isn't he?"

Before Finn could stammer out an embarrassed denial he woke up.

Ella and Suzy's playful smiles vanished at his leave. They returned to their lunch quietly, the little chirps from the birds and singing from the flowers doing nothing to brighten their mood.

"This isn't going to end well," Ella cut through the quiet clinking of tea cups against plates. Suzy set her cup down, shutting her eyes and releasing a few tears of guilt.

…

Finn had been gone for a long time. The food was cold when Kurt settled in to eat it. That meant that he'd been up at the roof all day and didn't come to him to hold back the hallucinations. Kurt couldn't understand why he would do this, but when it hit him that Finn was probably being attacked again, he fled to the roof with a racing heart and in only his street clothes.

His worries were short lived. The roof was a fairly spacious area, and they were on the darker side where the bright lights of the motel sign didn't touch them. Apart from the two, they were alone. And they would remain alone since Kurt took the only other set of roof keys from Howard who carried the original copy. Under the dim glow of the roof lights he found Finn standing unharmed with his eyes closed, not a single monster or killer in sight. Seeing the masked man about to kill his stepbrother earlier, Kurt was prepared to see anything, but Finn was perfectly safe. At least he hoped he was, he didn't seem to be alarmed like he normally would when he was seeing things.

Shutting the door behind him, Kurt was about to call out his name when something amazing happened.

There were old children's toys littered around Finn that Kurt hadn't noticed until now. He wouldn't have noticed at all if they hadn't started moving on their own. They dragged themselves across the snow that had been marred black with the ground beneath, a sign that this wasn't the first time they'd been moving. Kurt watched slack jawed when the next second they lifted off the ground and sluggishly floated around Finn with no particular direction.

It only lasted for a few seconds. Finn made a pained sound and the toys crashed to the ground, the magic gone.

"Ow," the tall boy mumbled, gingerly touching his temple.

"Finn?" Kurt squeaked. The boy whipped around in surprise, giving Kurt full view of blood dripping from his nose. The movement disoriented him and he stumbled backwards and fell clutching his head, "oh my god," Kurt rushed over him. "Finn, you're bleeding," he didn't have a tissue with him so he used the end of his sleeve and wiped the blood off his face. "Is that what happens when you do what you just did? What _was_ that?"

"It's okay," Finn shook his head and blinked, "I'm fine now, I thought of Sunshine and…" he looked up at Kurt and stopped. The other boy waited expectantly, but it seemed he was speechless.

"How long have you been up here?" Kurt asked, hoisting Finn up to his feet with surprising strength. "Did any hallucinations come to attack you?"

"I…I've been up here all day," Finn pulled away and busied himself with collecting the scattered toys. "Practicing my abilities…"

"And the hallucinations?" Kurt spotted a garbage bag nearby and helped gather the toys in the bag.

"They came…I fought them off somehow," Finn nodded, not facing him. "You know when I said I thought they were from the nightmares of people around me?"

"Yeah," Kurt said slowly, distantly remembering.

"Well…I thought of dreams. My dreams…they became real too after I thought hard enough." He let out an empty laugh. "If I'd known that's all it took to get rid of them I would have done it much sooner…"

Kurt watched him closely. Something was bothering him; the weight of whatever it was giving him an air of defeat. "That's good isn't it? You won't need me as your crutch, you can move freely now – "

"No! I still need you!" Kurt jumped in surprise. Finn faced him again. There were tears forming in his eyes, he seemed scared and sad at the same time, and Kurt didn't know what to do, or what brought it on. "I just…" Finn stepped back in shame, "if I didn't have this problem would you still be with me?"

"What?" a passing breeze trembled through Kurt reminding him that he didn't have anything warm on to fight the cold.

"If I didn't need to hold your hand – if I didn't have hallucinations," Finn explained, clutching the action figures and toy cars to his chest, "would you still be here with me?"

"Of course," Kurt frowned, wondering why Finn was even asking. "Would _you_ want me with you?"

He seemed stuck for words so he just nodded. While it cheered Kurt that Finn wanted him around not only because he took away his hallucinations, something was still wrong. Finn looked like a little kid clutching those toys, and Kurt didn't know how to approach him, it was odd to see him like this.

"Finn, you're starting to scare me, what's wrong?" he took a few careful steps forward, feeling like he was the one Finn was afraid of. Maybe the hallucinations he'd been fighting off traumatized him before he was able to get rid of them.

The other boy cleared his throat and blinked rapidly. "Telekinesis," he said finally. At Kurt's confusion he continued. "After I got out of the Network I stumbled into Rachel's dream. She has telekinesis – she showed me."

"Oh," was all Kurt could say. Ever since the article came out, he'd been trying not to hate his friend. He knew Laurence was responsible, and figured the best way to not be angry was to forget the article existed. At Finn's mention of her he not only remembered the article, but that she was still Finn's girlfriend.

And then of course after that he remembered the kisses they shared and how wrong and right it felt. His lips were still tingly from them, and it was awful because he knew they couldn't do it anymore. He knew that now that Finn got to see Rachel again he would remember how much he loved her, and how horrified he was over cheating on her while she remained in Apate enslaved by Laurence's hypnotism.

He had to forget about Finn. He had to forget any small possibilities of a future together.

He needed to think of Blaine. Sweet and dapper Blaine with his beautiful smile and beautiful voice. Single and gay Blaine with whom he _could_ have a future with, who was probably also waiting for him at Apate and –

"She broke up with me."

It took him a moment to gather that. Even still he was gob smacked for words. Finn shuffled uncomfortably.

"I told her what we did and…she wasn't surprised. She expected it," after a second of hesitation, he dumped the toys in the bag Kurt had been limply holding. "It's weird isn't it? People seem to know more about my feelings than I do."

"Finn – "

"I don't want this to sound like I'm desperate or anything," Finn stuffed his hands in the pockets of his chunky coat. "But…I want to get to Babylon without any regrets."

That sounded pretty desperate to Kurt. "What do you mean by that?"

Finn paled, realizing he might have said too much. "I – I just mean…" he huffed, this wasn't how he planned to say this. Kurt shivered under a new breeze and shook his head. Snow was starting to fall again.

"Let's just go back to our room. It's freezing out here." He wandered back to the door, hauling the bag of toys over his shoulder, and still confused over what was going on. Finn wasn't telling him something, and it seemed he wasn't getting an answer right away.

He tensed up when arms encircled him from behind. Hot breath tickled at the curve of his neck and all of the sudden he wasn't cold anymore. He wanted to melt into Finn's arms, but he remained tense, unsure of whether or not he should do something because Finn really was acting strange.

"I don't know what I'm doing," Finn mumbled brokenly in his neck. "Can we just stay here for a few more days?"

Kurt shivered under his quiet and lonely voice. "Okay," the bag fell to the snow softly, toys tumbled out, but he hardly noticed.

Because Finn had him pinned against the door, the cold against his back chilling him like ice, and Finn's tentative lips burning him like lava. He knew he should have pushed away and come up with some kind of excuse for them to never do this again, but he couldn't.

He could feel Finn's tears hitting his cheeks, and the only thing he could think of doing was keep kissing him in the hopes that it would make it all better. For a few minutes it felt like Finn had relaxed. Lips bruising up and teeth chattering, they parted and just stood there, hot breath turning into vapor and clouding their vision.

"Just so you know," Finn murmured, strength returning to him. Kurt looked into his eyes, dry now, but still sad and filled with something that set his nerves on fire. "No matter what, I'll never regret this." He licked his lips and pressed his forehead against Kurt's, tempting the other boy to latch onto his lips gain. Kurt felt like he was prey caught by the predator, his body was shaking not from the cold but with anticipation, his breath stuck in his throat.

"Right," he choked, if only to return whatever this was back to normalcy. "I believe you."

Finn gave him another lingering kiss, his next words momentarily turning Kurt's mind blank. "I think…I might love you."


	22. A Change of Heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Matt uncovers Laurence's past and breaks him. Sam has a creepy psycho moment, and after arguing about their misunderstandings and fears, Finn and Kurt share a night together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> my smut is weird. so sue me (shrugz) XP

…

Chapter Twenty Two

A Change of Heart

…

It felt like the warmth of the motel had fogged Kurt's dazed head further. No one was out except for Howard, who quietly took back the bag of kids toys and roof key Finn had borrowed. He was pleased to know that his roof was intact and asked no further questions when the step siblings walked away hand in hand.

The closer they got to their room, the clearer Kurt could think. He knew there was something wrong. It felt more serious than before Finn spoke to Ella. Back then he just seemed so desperate and scared, but now he couldn't read him at all. He threw the taller boy a glance, entering their room first and letting go of his warm hand.

If Finn wanted to practice, he should have done it with Kurt around in case he couldn't fight off the hallucinations. Rachel had broken up with him, but he was internalizing the pain and not expressing it like he usually would. He was talking about going to Babylon with no regrets as if in the end he knew wasn't going to survive.

And Kurt couldn't take that.

"What's going on with you?" he asked, turning to face him. Finn slipped off his coat and tossed it on their pile of bags by the bedroom area. Kurt ignored the snip burning in his tongue to not throw things like clothes around. The shirt Finn was wearing was torn and bloodied in several places. Kurt's irritation slipped in shock.

"I needed to control these hallucinations," Finn answered Kurt's horror, self consciously tugging the hem of his shirt, "it wasn't easy…but I'm still alive."

"How could you do this without me being there?" Kurt demanded in a hushed tone, looking over the shirt with bile rising to his throat, "do you realize what could have happened?"

"Sunshine's – "

"Sunshine's ability only works if you focus hard enough!" Kurt cut in harshly; Finn sighed and walked past him for thir stuff. "What if a hallucination chopped your…" he choked, unable to finish with that gory image, "you can't run off on your own like this."

"I won't," Finn promised, digging through the bag for a new shirt. "But I might as well let myself get arrested if I don't control these abilities."

"What did you mean by having no regrets?"

Finn stiffened, clutching the worn yellow shirt in his hands. "Exactly what it means," he mumbled unhelpfully.

Pursing his lips, Kurt marched up to him, forcing him to face him, "You're not telling me something, and whatever it is, it's bothering you," Finn looked away uncomfortably, but Kurt grabbed the side of his face and gently turned him back, "why did you say you loved me?"

"Because I do."

"Are you just trying to make me happy?"

Hurt flashed across Finn's eyes, "I said it because I meant it." Kurt stared at him hard, keeping his emotions from misguiding him. It only hurt Finn more, "don't you believe me?"

Letting go of Finn, Kurt stepped back, "You just broke up with Rachel," he said softly, "what we have has lasted only a few days…you're giving me the impression that you're doing this because…" he swallowed, "because something bad is going to happen."

"We're running away from the police and wearing stupid disguises," Finn said slowly, "I'd say we're in bad shape already."

Kurt stared at him, piecing together what Finn was really saying. They were running away with only each other to count on. Of course Finn didn't love him, he just happened to be the only one Finn could depend on and accidentally end up thinking he loved him. There was no way this would have happened had Apate not existed. Finn would still be with Rachel and Kurt would still be hoping for love to come to him. Their situation was dire, emotions were sure to go awry…

"So is that what this is?" Kurt's face twisted in pain, backing away further in disgust, "this is just a heat of the moment thing?"

Finn's face fell, that wasn't what he meant at all! "No it's not! I've had a lot of time think about this! Remember when I was still in Apate and you and Rachel would visit me?" Kurt turned away, grabbed his bag and made for the bathroom, but Finn's hand closed around his arm, desperate for him to listen, "I'd always go to you – even after the hallucinations were gone – "

Kurt yanked himself out of Finn's grasp, bitter tears winning the battle of spilling over. He shouldn't have let himself start hoping for this again, he himself had imagined scenarios where they'd fall in love in a situation like this, but he never imagined why it would happen. Or how much it would hurt. "You were just paranoid – "

"I was at first, but there were nights when I just wanted you with me because it was you." Angrily, Kurt went into the bathroom and locked the door behind him before Finn could catch up. Finn fell against the door, but the words still spilled from his mouth, "Before Apate I'd have dreams where we'd be partners solving crime, o-or performers in a circus, I didn't think about it much, but maybe - subconsciously - I was already falling in love with you."

Kurt leaned against the door, too conflicted and upset to make any sense of what Finn was saying, he clutched the bag in his arms and slid to the floor.

"I know I sound desperate," Finn relented, resting his forehead against the wooden door, "I have issues, I suck at this…I've never felt this way for a guy before, but when I look at you I'm always amazed that you're still with me after everything I did to you," his bottom lip trembled in shame, " _why_ are you still with me?"

Kurt buried his head in his arms, his shoulders shaking. He wanted to go home. He wanted his warm bed. His dad to greet him in the morning before heading to work. Carole making breakfast with a warm smile. He wanted Finn to be his brother again, fun and clumsy with no world on his shoulders and his only worry to be where to take Rachel on their next date. He wanted his life _back._

"Before I got in the Network," Finn spoke softly, loud enough for Kurt to hear through the door, "there was a clown that liked to mess with me. I thought of you and he was gone," he heaved a sigh, looking up helplessly at the ceiling. "I told you that in order to get rid of a nightmare I had to think of a dream…so I thought of you and they vanished." On the other side, Kurt grabbed at his hair in frustration, furious with himself for falling in love again. "But just thinking of you won't make them go away…there needs to be something more…I couldn't think of you as just a cure, you're much more to me than that – you're...my _world_ ," his voice shook, "the more I practiced, the easier it was for me to get how I felt. I said I didn't want to go to Babylon with regrets…I just don't want to go without you knowing how I feel because I don't know what'll happen when we get there."

Kurt wiped his face roughly against his arm. He stared at the ugly tiled floor blankly, Finn words were reaching him, but he wasn't sure yet what to do with them. Was he lying? Saying the truth? Or did he _think_ he was saying the truth?

"I asked Ella what to do and he said only I had control over it. So even if you don't love me, it won't change that I still love you. The only regret I'll have after all this is that I never gave you a chance last year, and I'm sorry." His knees weakened and he crumpled to the floor in grief. _"I'm so sorry_."

The silence that hung over them felt like it had lasted hours. And maybe it had. Kurt kept biting his knuckles to keep from screaming. Worn out from all the word vomit, Finn had fallen against the door in a state of lull. Both were about ready to spend the night there on the hard floor rather than on the bed just a few feet away.

Finn was starting to nod off as the exhaustion from training and pouring his heart out did their work in draining him of energy. He fell back in surprise when the door finally opened and he found himself staring up at Kurt's unreadable face. He had taken the time to change into his pajamas, which weren't really his, they didn't fit him perfectly, instead hanging loosely on his frame making him appear younger than he really was. Scrambling to his feet Finn stood there awkwardly, not sure what to expect now.

"I do still love you," Kurt rasped from crying, ringing with sorrow, "it's just become harder to hope and…" he shook his head, "I'm sorry too."

"It's my fault."

"No it's not. The gay kid falling in love with the straight guy? Not your fault at all," Kurt sighed, running a tired hand through his hair, "look, it's late, let's just go to bed."

Finn took his hand before he could ignore him again, "it's not a heat of the moment thing. When this is all over we can do this for real. I promise."

Kurt let out a snort and smiled emptily, "sure."

"I'm serious," Finn frowned.

"You're not coming back, are you?"

The taller boy froze, and that was all Kurt needed to know he was right. Finn wanted to tell him different, but his head was bombarded with the clown's warning and his fears. The longer he didn't say anything, the more Kurt fell apart once again.

"I won't go to Babylon if you don't want me to," Finn said finally.

Kurt placed his hand over his chest, flittering over the torn holes of the shirt Finn was still wearing. He felt so warm under Kurt's hand, a faint pulse of his heart beating against him. Firm and strong. Today he may have lost him. Tomorrow he wouldn't know what would happen. He was afraid that if he waited any longer to see, he would lose Finn forever. "Yeah…let's….let's just forget about Babylon."

He pulled Finn down for a kiss.

And then another.

And another.

…

He couldn't get addicted.

_He couldn't get addicted._

Shutting his eyes tight, he set his jaw and fought as hard as he could against the sweet and wonderful feeling the pollen was giving his system. The young man couldn't understand why they were giving him pollen anyway, it was a drug meant to realize the abilities given by the Alice Syndrome. Matt already achieved this, so why give him the drug? The only reason that came to mind was Laurence just wanted to torture him. He attempted to use his abilities to jump to another part of the room, but not take the pollen with him like he would if he wanted to jump out of his clothes. That was about as easy as walking on water populated by sharks.

Matt dropped to the floor with a pained grunt, arms hugging over his stomach from the nausea. His vision swam for a few long minutes; cold sweat beading on his forehead. This was ten times more painful than the normal cost of using his ability. He remained on the floor curled into a ball. This was because of the pollen's affects mixing unpleasantly with his stomachache. He would have to wait it out and let the pain and haze leave on its own. He would be glad when he wouldn't have to take pollen again. How could the patients love this drug?

He stopped trembling briefly.

…There was an idea.

Pollen left the user incapacitated much like heroin would.

Using his ability as a strand two victim was physically unpleasant.

Combine the two and he would be in a fresher hell for ten minutes.

And unlike the patients who had grown addicted to pollen, he would detest it and not become so dependent on it. It wasn't the best way out of avoiding addiction, but with the nurses and guards keeping an eye on him to make sure he got his dose, it was the only way.

At least until his wild card got to Lima.

Alison Valley. It was a name he came across after speaking with Jackie. He had taken about as much information he could and found himself in Youngstown before his final stop at Apate. When he had been at the institution, there were rumors of a previous location. He hadn't thought about it until now when Jackie confirmed it in her panic to get rid of him before he provoked Sam further.

She didn't know the exact location so it took him a bit of searching before he found a huge steel door in the outskirts of Youngstown inside an abandoned bar that had no hope of renovation. Behind that door he found a facility caught between advanced technology and history, clouded in dust and for the most part empty.

Thorough digging produced a single file that was saved from destruction. It reported the results of three children from a series of experiments. Laurence's name was among the three along with Alison and Jackie. The nurse's genuine lack of memory over what went on in this place gave him a clue that Laurence was responsible for the mind wipe.

That and the last few lines stated that Laurence was a successful recipient of the Alice Syndrome whereas Jackie showed no fruitful results, and Alison suffered mental and physical trauma. The two girls were to be disposed of via Laurence's hypnotic ability to mold minds. Jackie, however, remained by his side which confused Matt deeply until he came up with a theory.

Jackie knew she was a childhood friend of Laurence's. She treasured that the most, Matt remembered her saying so when she used to treat him at Apate. The only logical reason Laurence kept her around despite her failure to procure the Alice Syndrome was because he loved her.

Alison, however, was a mystery. She still was when Matt had given her that phone call. That changed completely by now.

The room came back into focus, but he was afraid of moving and making things worse. Gingerly, he slipped a photograph from his pocket. Peter had taken risks again and got him more information, the most important one being this photograph that had been locked away in Laurence's office. Matt didn't know how the boy managed to get in and out without getting caught, but it was applaud-worthy and may be the thing that turned the tides in his mission.

It was a picture of three familiar kids no older than twelve. Two were curly blonde girls, and the third was a chestnut haired boy. They were holding hands and smiling toothily at the camera so hard that their eyes were squeezed shut. Matt had looked at the photograph so many times, but the image was no different. They were extremely familiar because he knew them.

All of his friends knew them.

He had to use this information carefully. He had Alison on her way, now he needed to see where Laurence stood. He'd seen him less and less and in the times he did see him, he wasn't in the mood for a spat. In fact just today he had black curtains closing over the huge window of his office that looked over the rec room. According to rumor ala nurses, it seemed he was 'waking up' though they themselves had no idea what that meant.

If he didn't have this photograph Matt wouldn't either. But the truth was there. It explained the black curtains, Jackie's mind wipe, Alison's disappearance, and why he and Suzy had been targeted first when millions of other teens could have been in their shoes.

It boiled his hate for Apate.

The stomachache eventually went away, and the last dregs of Pollen left his system. Feeling like he'd been hit by a truck while hungover, Matt stumbled to his feet. There were guards outside; he wouldn't be able to get past them if he wasn't going to the rec room.

Steeling himself, he shut his eyes and jumped.

The next second he landed in the CEO's office, just barely keeping from falling down. Frightened by his presence, Laurence was on his feet in a second; shutting the laptop he'd been working on.

"What the hell is this?" he hissed, a hair slipping down to the side.

Matt laughed hollowly, the photograph crumbling slightly in his fist. "'Sup, Cain." He greeted lightly, wincing slightly at a fresh wave of nausea.

"Get out of my office you son of a bitch," Laurence seethed, not moving from his spot as the teen approached him a little hunched over. When it was clear that he wouldn't listen to his order, Laurence glared, "what do you want?"

"Just wanted to tell you," he tossed the photograph at his desk. Laurence looked at it with a scowl and paled, "I know your secret."

Refusing to be beaten, Laurence grit his teeth, "I thought you already knew that."

"I didn't know Laurence, Alison and Jackie didn't exist in the first place," Matt said back evenly. Laurence frowned, clearly not getting it. "I've been to the Youngstown location. I saw the files. They named you Laurence, but that was never your name."

"What are you babbling about?" the CEO narrowed his eyes.

"I didn't find pictures, just names. Fake names. This sealed the deal. People are saying you're 'waking up'," Matt went on softly, the pain leaving, "I know you hypnotized those girls, but maybe it was the opposite." He then asked innocently, "did you give them back their lives? Or was it just Alison's?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," and he really didn't, but he was reluctantly starting to think about it.

"Alison left, but you kept Jackie close. You loved her at one point," Matt pointed at the photograph, "she told me once that you were childhood friends, but that wasn't all, was it? You married her."

"How could you know that?" Laurence stiffened, "you're making up lies for your little campaign against Apate – we're trying to cure you!"

"But it didn't work out because she cracked and you fell in love with someone else."

"What are you – "

"And then you had to fix her mind again!" Matt slammed a hand down the desk, making Laurence jump, "I can't even be mad at you anymore because you're the most fucked over person on the planet!"

"Enough!" Laurence grabbed the front of Matt's shirt and pulled him close, in a deadly whisper he said, "I don't care what sick fantasies you've dreamt up but they're not true, I am Laurence Niac – I was born Laurence Niac, Jackie is just my subordinate and yes we were childhood friends, but I never touched her mind – for that I owe to our friendship."

Matt's eyes widened, a thought striking him. "That's because _She_ did it."

"What?" Laurence was thrown for the loop again, but Matt jumped out of the room, leaving him to sit at his desk more frazzled than before.

He picked up the photograph, the smiling faces hitting him with nostalgia. Matt didn't know what he was talking about. He was Laurence Niac – he may have had brown wavy hair as a child, but a firm control of his power made him able to change his image. People – including himself – saw him as a tall and slim man with slicked back raven hair. The person he left behind was an innocent boy eager to please and do the right thing, he thought he left him behind with his change until that boy came back manifested as its own persona, breaking through periodically until it was harder and harder to control – enough to make him lock himself in his office until he figured out a solution.

The most powerful man in the country second to the president and he was handicapped with dissociative identity disorder. How fitting that he was CEO of a 'mental institution'.

What did Matt mean by 'she did it'? Who was 'She'?

Shaking his head, Laurence set the picture down and sighed. He was letting that kid get into his head. He wasn't thinking straight. Too many things were going on to let himself get distracted. He opened the laptop, but stopped short. There was a little blonde girl sitting in front of him. Her smile like sunshine and eyes as clear as blue skies.

"Don't listen to him," she said soothingly, not in her own voice, but in the voice of her superior. Laurence didn't have time to feel disturbed by this, he had quickly fallen to her spell, "You're name is Laurence Niac, and together we're going to save the world."

…

They lay on the same bed, holding each other close and attempting to go to sleep. Except they couldn't. Too many thoughts were keeping them from a peaceful night. It was midnight, more than enough time for Kurt to know that something other than spreading a simple message had affected Finn when he was in the Network. He seemed resigned about something, and yet when Kurt told him not to go the Babylon, he readily agreed and they spent a solid half hour just making out and holding each other.

He thought Finn was choosing to be with him out of a need for comfort, but the way he held him, kissed him… He seemed more concerned with pleasuring Kurt than himself. Not in the sense of repayment for comforting him, but simply because he wanted to.

It almost felt like Finn was being reborn. The spark in his eye was revitalized, and his smiles felt more natural, and happier than before. Kurt had seen the same goofy look directed to Rachel long ago, but these were special. They were filled with quiet surprise in every new caress and kiss they gave each other. As if Finn discovered something new the more he touched Kurt. There was no fear or disappointment in his eyes. He knew who he was with and if his continued caresses were anything to go by he wouldn't want to spend it with anyone else.

Kurt shivered at the giddy excitement over feeling wanted. A blush rose to his cheeks and he looked up at Finn watching over him peacefully. For once he seemed at ease with himself, as if they were back home enjoying a night alone in the house with no worldly problems to bother them.

"I can't sleep," Finn whispered, not at all bothered by this.

"Neither can I," Kurt whispered back, fiddling over a particular rip on Finn's shirt. The other boy reached up and buried his fingers through Kurt's blond hair, his thumb tracing lazy circles on his cheekbone. Kurt shuddered slightly at the gentle touch, and Finn leaned down for a kiss.

They let their tongues dance slowly, exploring each other's mouths once more and finding it new and exciting no matter how many times they did it. When they parted Kurt was struck again by the warmth emanating from Finn, how his eyes glistened with life and love. Holding him this close, he'd like to think he was feeling his heartbeat race as fast as his. His chest rising and falling at a slow and steady pace.

And it would hurt so much to lose this.

"What?" Finn's brows knitted with worry. Kurt's eyes were brimming with tears. He rubbed circles on his back to ease him.

"Nothing," Kurt blinked furiously, "just…" he sniffled. "Don't leave me again. Please."

Finn's soothing hand stilled, a sadness rolling into his eyes. "I promise," he mumbled. He kissed Kurt's forehead while he gathered himself and relaxed again. He sighed in the warmth of pressing his face against Finn's chest, the beating of his heart an immense comfort. He shut his eyes and breathed slowly, shivering at the smell of Finn invading his senses. Kurt had just started to settle into dosing off when he was gently pushed to his back, the other boy draping himself over him. "I promise," Finn repeated against Kurt's lips, taking them once more.

Pleasantly surprised, Kurt wrapped his arms around Finn, the warmth of his endless back burning deliciously against his hands. They fell into the same pattern they eagerly became familiar with until Kurt jerked and moaned unexpectedly when Finn's knee lodged in between his thighs and brushed against his growing hardness by accident.

Encouraged by this, Finn repeated the movement, his excitement growing when Kurt's legs fell open of their own accord.

…

The clock read one thirty when Jackie turned over her bed again in the hopes of finding a comfortable spot. She glared at the red glowing numbers as if they were responsible for her lack of sleep. It had been almost four hours since she and Sam turned in for bed, and yet she couldn't find sleep as quickly as the boy could.

Turning over again, she clicked her teeth and ripped off the bed sheets, slipping out of bed for the bathroom. The stark light made her wince, but she went in and turned on the faucet and splashed water on her face. She felt on edge.

This wasn't her plan when she started to work for Apate. She'd been with them so long it felt like she had no life before the institution. Her only comfort was Laurence, but now he was another addition to her stress. Thinking back to the times they played together in school had felt like a lifetime ago. Rather, it felt like someone else's life than her own. What troubled her most was that she was starting to believe it now that Sam had plugged in her head that she was another person entirely.

The nurse shook her head. The boy was playing mind games, surely. He had been under the pollen for so long that it warped his personality just as it had his abilities. When she'd been caring for him at the institution he was kind and a little dorky. He was fond of making impersonations, and was obsessed with all things fantastical. There were many theories to how the victims acquired their abilities, but none truly fit to the one Jackie had developed. From all the patients she'd come by, their abilities didn't really match their genetic code and just barely fit with the situation they'd been in when the infection occurred. Jackie's theory was that it had to do more with their personalities.

Dream wanderers were in abundance because at adolescence, everyone was a dreamer of some kind, it coincided with the fact that they'd been sleeping during the infection too. Sam's love of fantasy and science fiction fueled his imagination, thus his ability was triggered into a form of creation. Even before his false ability came to fruition he would look at something and see something no one else could. A simple chair could be a throne or the driver's seat of a spaceship. The fact that his ability also gave him a better vision of 'truth' than others was also owed to his unassuming kindness that held better insight towards people. It was why he liked Jackie more than the other nurses. He knew she was only doing her job even though she'd lost her love of it. The blond knew instinctively who was good and who was bad.

Jackie stared at the porcelain bowl of the sink, watching as the water swirled down the drain. Sam was indeed a fun person to be around. He was the kind of boy people would keep close to their hearts simply because he was himself. The pollen, however, transformed that person into an emotionless dog to serve Laurence. He no longer looked at Jackie with that mixture of sad sympathy, he barely ever looked at her anymore, and when he did he was closed off and empty.

Sniffling, the nurse grabbed a nearby towel and roughly wiped her face. When she looked up in the mirror she froze in terror.

Sam's reflection stared back at her from the doorway, but what really frightened her was that her reflection was not of herself, but of a different woman.

She had wavy blond hair that parted at the middle of her forehead and cascaded down to her shoulders in layers and high lights. A frazzled face, and crystal blue eyes, she looked to be around her late thirties, and yet there was a youthful aura in the way she presented herself. As if her mind hadn't grown up quite yet. She was beautiful, and in her teens she may have been even more so.

Jackie screamed in horror, stumbling back and hitting the wall. The reflection moved with her, but transformed back to herself; with her soft face and straight hair that held none of the personality to the previous reflection. Clamping her hands to her mouth, she sank to the floor and concentrated on breathing. Sam watched her quietly, his face blank with no sympathy or amusement.

The nurse's whole body shook uncontrollably, sobs wracking out of her. She buried her face in her hands, more to feel that she was indeed herself than to hide her tears from the boy. Sam continued to stand there, offering no hand of comfort. After a few minutes she finally calmed down enough to rationalize that it was late and she was stressed out, she was merely seeing things. Everyone saw things when pushed on edge.

"I was wrong," Sam said softly, looking over Jackie with curiosity, "he didn't put the mask on you, someone else did…"

Jackie looked up at him sharply, her eyes puffy and red rimmed. She'd had enough with his twisted words, "what are you talking about!?"

"Someone powerful cast an illusion on you," Sam said simply, "if you want I can take it off. I didn't do it before because I thought the boss did it on purpose, but if it was someone else," he gave a listless shrug, "I don't mind taking it off."

"What are you…" Jackie stood up roughly, "what illusion!? I'm not under anything! I'm just stressed out and…and tired and…." She was starting to panic again. "I know who I am! I am Jackie Time! I was _born_ Jackie Time!"

Without a second of warning Sam placed his hand over her startled face.

 And ripped it off.

The nurse crumbled to the floor, blood splattering across the floor and sink. A new face underneath the one Sam had torn off took form and transformed the limp body bit by bit down to her toes. Lifting the mysterious woman in his arms, Sam carried her out of the bathroom and let her sleep in the empty bed Jackie left behind.

…

Somewhere between midnight and now their clothes found themselves discarded on the floor or on the edge of the bed. All outside disturbances went ignored for the pair on the bed, tangled within the sheets as they rocked against each other lazily, their hands exploring, lips discovering.

Kurt moaned softly and arched into Finn when the other boy nipped at a spot under his jaw that sent his body through heaven. His eyes fluttered shut in bliss, a hand burying itself in Finn's short hair. Soft breaths escaped his parted lips the more Finn touched him. He could barely think through the dazed happiness he was being put through.

"I love you," Finn murmured into Kurt's ear, peppering kisses from his jaw to his chin, to his lips. He reached in between their closely pressed hips and placed a firm hand over Kurt's hardness, hidden only by the boxers that had become tight and uncomfortable from arousal and sweat. Kurt gasped, eyes flying open in surprise and appreciation at the bold touch. He looked into Finn's eyes who'd been watching him with anxiousness to see if he wasn't too disturbed. Kurt almost laughed, personally expecting Finn to be the one uncomfortable with this.

He moved his hand experimentally, not at all disgusted that he was rubbing another guy's dick. Because it wasn't just another guy, it was Kurt, and it didn't feel weird at all. It almost felt natural.

'These are _my_ feelings.' He thought with hidden relief, 'The clown has nothing to do with this. I love Kurt….I love Kurt…'

Without realizing it, Finn's hand slipped under Kurt's boxers, curious fingers brushing over a fleshy hardness that couldn't be anything else other than Kurt's erection. The boy under him shuddered, cock twitching into his hand. Finn let out a shaky breath, feeling himself getting close, but fighting it back, not wanting this to be over so soon.

Kurt's legs felt numb as Finn grasped him gently, running a thumb up and down so deliciously slow that it was maddening. He slid a hand down the expanse of his back, sneaking under the last article of clothing the other boy was still wearing, and settling on a round cheek that knead so well into his fingers. He felt Finn tremble against him, holding him more confidently.

And somewhere along the way their boxers joined the scattered pile of clothes. Finally exposed to each other in all their glory.

They groaned into each other's mouths when they rejoined with no wall of cotton to block them. Kurt wrapped his legs around Finn's waist, pulling him closer and reveling at the sweet burn of their cocks pressed against each other.

"I don't…have a condom…" Finn breathed, hips moving of their own accord against Kurt.

The bleached blond turned red at the obvious implication. "Um…it's okay…" Kurt stammered, catching his breath, almost giggling, "we can just...stay this way. One step at a time right?"

"But I…" Finn flushed, pausing in their movements to lie down beside Kurt, pulling him close. "I mean if you're not ready, it's cool…"

Kurt gave him a dull look, "you're seriously going to ask if I'm ready? I would think I should be asking you."

"Oh," Finn blushed; the fog in his head started clearing up now that they'd stopped, but even so… "I'm…fine," he almost laughed. And he really was. Just being with Kurt like this was amazing. He was more afraid that he was pushing him too far, but it seemed Kurt was fearing the same for him. "It's just that I don't have a condom and…I was with Santana – "

Kurt groaned in displeasure, "Don't ruin the moment." Finn shrugged sheepishly, and after a minute they couldn't help laughing over their oddly _ordinary_ situation. "You know it doesn't have to be tonight. I mean…I've never been with anyone, but I don't know if…" he stopped short and looked at Finn curiously.

He blinked back owlishly, "What?"

…

Laurence wanted to cry in frustration, and he almost did. He'd been doing fine all day and was about to go home when Matt paid him that unexpected visit. He was putting thoughts in his head, the little bastard. Placing doubts on his plans. On _himself._

All because his alter ego woke up and was demanding freedom.

And that's exactly what he was, his alter ego. Nothing more than a personality created in the fears and stress of being Apate's first successful experiment.

Laurence paused in pacing around his office. No that was wrong, he wasn't an experiment, he was a volunteer. He remembered now. His parents knew nothing of it because his boss mind wiped his escapes to the institution so they wouldn't have to worry. The same had been done to Alison and Jackie. Both of who were definitely real people and not the 'fake identities' Matt insisted they were. He was real, not the other guy.

Laurence stopped again and shook his head. No that wasn't right either. He didn't just go to Apate a few times, he stayed there for months until the experiment was complete and he could go back home while still work for the institution. As their first success, he was to continue to work for them and…

Wait a minute.

The CEO went around his desk and picked up the photograph.

Wasn't…

Wasn't there another girl?

He remembered Alison and Jackie so well but…

Yes of course, there was another girl. She was pale and blonde…with blue eyes and…and…or didn't she have brown hair?

This time he did cry out in frustration. It felt like two people were living in his head, telling him two different stories that didn't fit at all to his past. One insisted that he grew up in a loving home with parents that raised him to do the right thing and filled his heart with music and dreams. The other told him that he spent his childhood in a beautiful prison, with nurses and doctors coming in and out to give him an injection. Alison and Jackie were in this memory, but in the other one it was two different girls with little to no comparison to them.

And yet here they were in this photograph. Dressed up in the patient's attire typical of Apate.

He was so confused and scared that he fell to the floor clutching the photograph for an answer. Could it be that Laurence Niac was the alter ego? He'd looked at this photograph many times and yet never came to that conclusion in the past. What sealed his growing suspicions was Alice's visit right after Matt left.

She insisted he was Laurence Niac. That with her they were going to save the world.

He'd been with his boss to know exactly how she used her abilities on both patients and strangers alike. It was how she was able to easily get the dream manipulator and Dalton student on her side. The ability to completely change people's self identities and make them loyal to the controller. A concentrated version of hypnotism that Laurence had only been able to barely accomplish with Sam.

He fell into Alice's spell easily, but when she left, it was like waking up by being dunked in cold water.

His superior had _hypnotized him._

Which begged the question. How many times had this been happening?

That's what left Laurence on his knees, questioning everything he did for Apate. Was he wrong to lock away the victims for their own safety? Was he wrong to believe that Apate could bring world peace?

Was he really Laurence Niac?

Or was the other guy – now awake – placing doubt in his mind?

Trembling breaths escaping gritted teeth, he reached up blindly and grabbed the telephone from his desk, pulling it down and dialing the number he had known by heart. He needed his friend; he needed to know there wasn't anything wrong with him. As the ringing buzzed into his ear, he shut his eyes and tried to think carefully. He was in no position to lead the institution. But if he left, it would give Matt hope that he'd won, and he didn't want that. He refused to be beaten by the arrogant brat.

Breathe.

Inhale.

Exhale.

Inhale –

"Hello?"

Laurence sat up sharply. "Sam? Where's Jackie?"

"She's gone."

He rubbed at a temple, a migraine pulsing in his skull. "When is she coming back?"

"Never."

Laurence froze. The response did not bode well. He stared at the phone in his hand with wide eyes before placing it back against his ear. "Excuse me?"

"My ability became stronger," Sam said happily, "it told me Jackie had a mask on. I thought it was your work so I didn't take it off until I realized the style didn't match you – someone else did it so I took it off. She's still asleep, I don't know who she is yet, but she's really pretty."

"Don't you dare touch her," Laurence hissed angrily, losing composure instantly.

"She's too old for me," he could practically feel Sam pout indignantly, "but what do I do with her? Is she still coming with me to arrest Finn?"

"No…" Laurence was barely listening, fears having been confirmed. Sam was telling the truth, there was no reason he could be lying. That meant that Jackie…his Jackie…He wanted to scream and cry. This was all so wrong. If Jackie wasn't Jackie, who the hell was he?

His superior was responsible.

Jackie was an identity. His dear friend…it was all a lie!

He bit his lip so hard it threatened to break in his boiling fury and despair.

"Tell me what to do and I'll do it."

Through the cloud of hate and thirst for revenge Laurence stared at his phone again, disturbed. There was something strange with the low and breathy way Sam worded that, and he didn't like it at all. Perhaps he had overdone it with the pollen and hypnotism. For now he'd let it pass, there were more pressing things to cover.

Matt was right after all. Fuck.

"The woman who's with you, do not harm her or let her out of your sight," he said evenly. "There's been a change of plans. Listen closely."

…

They were entangled once more. The small room filled with gasps and quiet moans of pleasure, a heat thickened between the two with sweat and lust. The itch buried within them finally being relieved each time their bodies joined and became one. The soft glow of the bedside lamp touched their sweat slicked bodies, setting the mood to their thirst for release.

Finn pressed his back against Kurt's chest, pushing him into the pillows that cushioned the slender boy from the headboard. He made a soft noise in his throat, rolling his hips into Kurt with a greedy need he never knew he had. Kurt watched him breathlessly; Finn's parted lips glistening where he recently licked them, cheeks tinged in pink that stretched down his bare neck that arched beautifully against Kurt's shoulder. His eyes drifted lower to the expanse of Finn's flat stomach, to the writhing hips and the hand that barely hid the proudly standing cock that poked out from under Finn's wrist.

Kurt dug his teeth into Finn's hot shoulder at the wondrous sight. It felt so good to have his lover's tight heat hug him for the first time; he never wanted it to stop. He knew Finn had been scared, but after a few eternal minutes of preparation, the fear in his eyes glazed over with lust and Kurt took him unable to wait any longer.

Oh god it was more amazing than he'd ever imagined.

His cock drove deeper into Finn, and the boy jolted with a throaty cry that echoed in Kurt's ear and almost made him lose it, "oh my god…" Finn's head fell back against Kurt's shoulder, electricity running through him. Kurt ran his hand over the other boy's chest, feeling it rise and fall in short pants of exhilaration. He paused briefly to pinch a hardened nipple, eliciting a sweet little noise from Finn. He reached down and rested over Finn's hand where he'd been keeping his erection from bouncing uncomfortably in their lust filled activity. Finn was in dazed fascination over being penetrated, his ever exploring fingers rubbing around the rim of his entrance, feeling Kurt slide in and out of him at a steadily growing pace, and adding to the stimulation his lover was already feeling.

Kurt moaned the deeper he was able to get. Finn was hugging him so tightly, sucking him further in and hitting nerves that drove Finn insane. Kurt was blind with ecstasy, running sloppy kisses up the pale shoulder and into his willing mouth.

He was at the hilt again and Finn cried into Kurt's mouth appreciatively. He fought past the pain of being stretched and ground his hips harder, legs spreading wide in the hopes that Kurt would go deeper and hit that spot within him again. Writhing and shuddering with pleasure. Kurt broke the kiss and groaned deeply, the friction was getting him close, he was going to come.

"More," Finn gasped into Kurt's neck, his free hand reached up to clutch the headboard, the bed shaking as he impaled himself on the other boy with so much desperate need. "Fu…" he couldn't even talk anymore it felt so good. He could feel Kurt's moans swimming with his, their lips latching on again. He couldn't focus on kissing, his tongue lapping against Kurt's while he rode Kurt harder and harder, skin smacking against skin, fire filled with electricity.

He couldn't keep up anymore. He was getting close.

Oh god.

_Oh god._

Kurt shuddered against him, hot seed bursting inside him and filling him more than he'd ever felt before. Finn couldn't hold back anymore, he peeled a cry into Kurt's mouth, balls tightening and releasing his load. He came so hard he felt some hit his chin from the sheer force of it.

Trembling as he came down from his high, Finn fell against Kurt in a dead weight, panting from exhaustion and exhilaration. His thighs were starting to burn from the exercise, sweat and seed clung to him uncomfortably, and Kurt sliding out of him was both slightly painful and disappointing. He already missed him. He grinned goofily at Kurt who matched the smile lazily.

"That was…amazing," Finn breathed, still catching his breath.

In response, Kurt pulled him into a lazy kiss, all fears of Apate, of the Clown, of Babylon, gone.

...

_"Finn and his brother will be going to Babylon with the intention of destroying Apate. I need you to follow these simple instructions. Aid them, and protect them. Finn. Must. Not. Die."_


	23. Chaos

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laurence's snaps completely and it seems that Matt has won, but everything is far from resolved. As Finn and Kurt start to enjoy their 'we're-still-running-away-but-at-least-we're-not-risking-our-lives-as-much' honeymoon, Alice shows up to mess with them again.

…

Chapter Twenty Three

Chaos

…

She woke up after what felt like years. It had been a long time since she felt truly in control of her body. There was no limpness and high that came from the Pollen. She was Rachel again. Totally in control Rachel.

Sitting up from her bed, the brunette looked around her dark cell. In a few hours a nurse would come in to give her Pollen and she'd be trapped again. Rachel couldn't have that. She needed to help Finn in some way. She had the power to do it now, she had to use it even if it hurt.

What should she do?

Freeing herself would be the first option, but Laurence was aware of her abilities, her cell was specialized to keep telekinetic users in. How he managed it, she had no idea; he kept throwing around fancy words about the window and door that held little meaning to her.

Letting out an exhausted huff, she drooped tiredly, gripping her thin bed sheets on either side of her.

She wanted to help. Finn had so much on his plate right now, she had to find a way to lighten the load. She owed it to him ever since that horrible article came out.

Taking a deep breath, she shut her eyes. Rachel needed to focus. Figure out the best route to take. Laurence had to be taken out, that's for sure. Maybe if she focused enough she could mess with his brain. Lately, she'd been able to spread out her telekinetic field for a few yards, sensing every detail including the internal organic working of every person within her reach. It frightened her at first, and knocked her out because the migraine was that bad.

Concentrating on something so specific and so far away would be a giant footstep away from what she was currently capable of, and it would probably do worse than merely make her faint.

But it's all she had that the moment.

 _'Focus, Rachel_ ,' she told herself, letting the little invisible hands reach out for her target. Her head was starting to ache again, hot wet blood dripping from her nostrils…

As her field spread inch by inch she could feel the heartbeats of those near her. Some a steady beat of patients in slumber, others of guards and nurses doing their rounds. None were near her, which was good because this was taking a toll on her and Laurence's office was still far from her.

It took her two hours to finally get something to happen. She found or rather felt someone pacing around nervously and working themselves into a panic.

She could feel her stamina slipping quickly as the pain in her head felt like it was going to literally implode. Hurrying for her target with one last push that made her see stars, she give the brain a quick shove.

And suddenly behind the darkness of her eyelids she saw Suzy reaching out to her with horror written all over her face. Her lips parted to form a silent 'NO!'

But it was only for the briefest second, and Rachel promptly fell into a seizure.

…

Morning greeted Matt mercifully. The nurses hadn't come in to check on him, and the sun was shining peacefully into his cell with promise of a good day. He hoped it would be at least. Alison was coming today. Even better, he didn't completely feel like crap – in fact, it almost felt like he was getting over a hangover that hadn't stopped for days.

The first hour passed with no issue or visits. It was early; perhaps the rest of the institution wasn't awake yet.

He stepped outside and found the halls empty, not a patient or guard in sight. At times, this was normal too, patients had been sedated with pollen, what trouble could they cause? The nurses had been careful to give them their doses in a timely manner so no chaos would ensue, thus guards wouldn't be needed as much at certain times in the day – namely the morning. Still, the quiet of the white halls weren't very calming - at least _one_ nurse should be walking around; Matt was getting a bad feeling in his gut.

He had gone to sleep last night thinking over his conversation with Laurence. He was a man with the power to hypnotize. Enough to make a nation bow at his feet so Matt naturally assumed the mystery of Alison and Jackie were his doing. The file at Youngstown suggested that Laurence hypnotized the two failed experiments into having new identities and living their lives without the memory of Apate to plague them. Having been a child who also suffered the horrors of being locked up and given unstable chemicals, Laurence had to have been pure evil to happily mess with the minds of his only friends.

Or selfless to give them the free life he wanted himself.

Matt wasn't sure what to think. In the past Laurence was staunchly loyal to the institution. He believed so wholeheartedly that he was working for the greater good that it couldn't have been an act. Plus, he hypnotized everyone to turn themselves to Apate. That was enough to show he truly believed in his job.

And then there was that conversation with him last night. He'd been distraught before Matt jumped in, and completely lost in the accusations thrown at him. Matt was thrown off, Laurence was a cool and collected guy, and very stuck-up. For him to _not know_ something involving the institution was ludicrous.

Matt could say that Laurence's confusion over Jackie's role in everything was genuine. Her memory had been wiped, that much was true, but it wasn't from Laurence. He was _supposed_ to do it, but he didn't – someone else did.

And Matt knew for sure this time that it was the man's superior.

He knew next to nothing on the woman, but she was in control of the entire operation. She had Laurence in the palm of her hand so maybe she too had the power of hypnotism. Maybe she was heartless enough to erase people's identities. The only person who really knew was her right hand man, and that was Laurence. Matt gave him enough to think about last night; perhaps he was ready to talk now…

The further he walked down the clean and silent halls of the institution, the more Matt was starting to get anxious. No one had yet to cross by him. It may have been morning, but there was no way all the guards were on break. And where were the patients?

Picking up his pace to a brisk walk, the doors to the rec room came into view; no one was coming in or out.

He glanced to a nearby cell and saw something strange through the door's little window. Screeching to a halt, Matt looked closer. He backed away immediately with a hand flying to his mouth.

There was a boy in there, standing by his bed and staring straight at him with glazed eyes. His nose was bleeding freely, creating large stains on his white shirt, and every once and a while he would twitch involuntarily. It was Peter Sato.

His back hit the door of another cell and Matt twisted around to look inside. There was another patient in the same state as Peter. With his heart hammering in his chest, Matt ran down to the next room and saw the same. He kept running and saw that every cell contained a patient standing there in a daze, bleeding and twitching.

"What the hell…" he trembled, reaching the rec room. It was empty; the television was on, the only sound whispering in the large room. Cryptically, it was set to the news showing footage kids walking willingly into Apate buses like zombies.

It became more and more obvious that both nurses and guards were gone. Those who held higher titles weren't around either, much less the janitors. Which meant…

Swearing under his breath, Matt glared up at the blocked windows of the CEO's office and Jumped.

He landed in the doorway and fell on his knees from the nausea. Taking a few measured breaths, Matt looked around the office and almost forgot to breathe.

The place was wrecked. The once pristine and polished office looked as though someone had raided it. There were papers strewn everywhere, the guest chair lay in pieces on the desk that had been dragged to the large window. It was almost as if whoever did this intended to throw the furniture out the window but gave up halfway. There was glass strewn all over the carpet, words and numbers written on the wall that was torn bare of its decorative paintings and fake degree's. The only thing that remained untouched was the giant computer system on the other side of the office.

Pushing himself to his feet, Matt forgot all about throwing up and cautiously approached the figure curled up in a ball under the desk, fingers digging into hair that kept going from wavy brown to jet black.

He didn't have a retort on his tongue. There was nothing satisfying about seeing the man he hated like this, not after what he learned. "Laurence?"

The man looked up sharply, his face wet with tears. He hadn't slept the whole night, his eyes bloodshot and gaunt with shadows under his eyes. His face kept transforming from the one Matt loathed, to the one he had respected.

"I can't…control him…" Laurence whimpered, no longer caring that he appeared weak to the one person he didn't want to see him like this.

"Where is everyone? The kids are…" Matt tried to find the right words to describe the problem, "they're having seizures or something – is it the pollen? They need help!"

"I don't know who I am I…Jackie's gone…my identity…I…who am I?" Laurence rambled brokenly, burying his head in his hands again. Matt grabbed his shoulders and shook him roughly.

"The kids are in danger, you need to help them!"

"Too many voices…!" he shook his head, rocking back and forth.

"Laurence!"

"So many people…I've ruined so many lives…" the CEO whimpered, "I thought I was doing the right thing…I thought I was keeping everyone safe…"

"Snap out of it!" Matt yelled, shaking him harder. The jerky transformations stopped suddenly, hair remaining on wavy brown. The time jumper waited for it to turn black again, but it didn't. The man stopped sobbing and looked up hesitantly; his face had changed as well.

"Matt?" he mumbled, not sure if what he was seeing was real.

The boy pulled back in shock. He knew who Laurence really was, but to see it in the flesh was something else entirely. Distantly he heard cries of fear and horror from down below. The patients had broken from their catatonic states and were now freaking out over the blood staining their clothes. Still though, it didn't distract Matt who stared at the man under the desk, eyes wide as saucers.

"Shit," was all he could say.

…

The clock read twelve in the afternoon when he woke up. It felt as though not two seconds ago he'd fallen asleep. There was a goofy smile on his lips and the used motel bed he'd been sleeping on felt like a cloud of happiness.

The warm body he was tangled with stirred. The blond mess of hair turning to reveal blearing eyes that softened once they focused on them. "Morning," Kurt greeted sleepily. Finn leaned down and gave him a kiss he giggled into. Just as he was getting into their little morning greeting, Kurt pulled away suddenly, "this is nice, but are you gonna have a big gay freak out on me?"

"No," Finn laughed, pulling him close, "wouldn't I have done that before last night?" Kurt considered this, "I'm fine," he weaved his fingers through blond locks, "better than I've been for a while actually." He raised his eyebrows in surprise. He really did feel much better, like having a huge power nap after the biggest test of the year, or finishing a week of working at Sheet's n' Things. "Huh…"

"What?" Kurt sank back into his pillow contentedly.

Finn blinked and smiled perplexedly, "I…didn't have any dreams…" Kurt threw him a questioning look, "I don't even remember having one last night…I feel like this is the first time I've actually _slept_."

Kurt quietly noted the fading dark circles from under Finn's eyes. It had been gradual, but now the haunted look he'd been sporting was gone. At least for now. The brightness in his eyes was enough to make him feel like the old Finn was resurfacing and he had to smile at that. "You look rested."

"Do you think maybe…" Finn blushed lightly through his shy grin, "what we did…"

"If you're suggesting I put out every night I'm afraid I don't have that kind of stamina," Kurt said flatly. Finn pouted, and he laughed, "as tempting as the idea is…are you…okay? I tried to go slow – " he was cut off suddenly by Finn kissing him soundly.

"I'm fine, Kurt," he said, pressing their foreheads together and basking in the glow of just lying in bed with someone he loved, "I'm kinda sore, but…I love you," it felt like now that he said it, he couldn't stop, "what we did was amazing and I'll never regret it."

"Really?" Kurt looked at him with his big bright eyes, filled with hope and worry, almost like a child. All Finn wanted to do right then was pull him in his arms and tell him over and over that he loved him and wouldn't want to be with anyone else in the world.

"Really," he pressed his lips firmly against Kurt's. As they delved once more in the dizzying addiction of kissing, Finn was pushed onto his back and by instinct he parted his legs to welcome Kurt. He ran his hands up and down his long back, ignoring the discomfort of the soreness for the pleasure of having Kurt so close.

"I love you," the bleached blond whispered against his lips.

Finn gasped. Not because of hearing those words. Or the sensations building up between them.

For a flash of a second he was back in the Network. Surrounded by planets and stars all quiet and unassuming. He could see the giant black planet he knew had to be Kurt; trembling with a force that was restrained by the massive chains surrounding it. Locked tight with a padlock.

A padlock that was floating listlessly, clicking and unlocking itself on the brink of releasing the chains.

Before Kurt could catch on that something was wrong, Finn attacked his mouth with more passion, thighs tightening against his hips as if afraid that if he didn't hold him now, Kurt would be gone forever.

…

School was supposed to have started today, but with no students to teach, there was no point in opening the school. Beiste had gotten the message from Figgins and the Board of Education regarding the matter which only confirmed what she already knew. After days of seeing kids get carted off in Apate vans, she knew there wasn't a single soul under the age of twenty who wasn't in the institution.

Well, except for the lucky few who escaped.

The football coach huffed in discontent as she nursed a hot cocoa and stood by the window of her living room. There were Apate vans and buses patrolling the streets again. No one had gone out, the snow was getting ignored, and the Christmas lights decorating her neighborhood remained in place. An empty joy for the worst Christmas in history.

Her friends and family had all gone home long ago, uncomfortable with the constant presence of Apate festering in Lima. She would have packed her bags and gone with them had it not been for the guests she had to entertain.

Turning away from the window and closing the shade, Beiste faced the quiet group parked in her living room, all exhausted, and all sober from whatever it was the news reports had poisoned their minds to send their kids away.

"So…a dead girl sent you here?" she asked skeptically, taking a careful sip from her cocoa.

"We're not sure," Carole said quietly, "we were kind of in a trance when that happened…"

"Believe me, we have no idea what's going on," Burt pitched in next to her. Amongst them, the other adults murmured in agreement. "We just want to know if our kids are okay."

"They never called me," Beiste waved to herself in surprise, "I'm just their coach – my football team has my number, but they've never used it – I don't think they even know they _have_ my number."

"But then…" Mrs. Jones looked around the other parents, "why would they send us to you?"

"I…" Beiste frowned. She recognized a good deal of these people from football games and brief visits in McKinley. She knew who their children were, and what clubs they were a part of that involved her chaperoning. Not surprisingly, she could guess who was the parent of who just based on how they looked and presented themselves. The blonde woman with the fancy clothes and face of money definitely had to be Quinn Fabray's mother for example.

Which meant…

But that didn't make any sense. Suzy Pepper had died without knowing any of the members from the glee club, how on earth could she know their parents? Beiste hadn't known most of them and she had more contact with the club than Suzy. She blatantly ignored the supernatural reality that though she was dead Suzy was controlling people into taking refuge in her home. More than one person was claiming this after all. There was little she could do, but believe it. Especially since these were the most lucid people she'd come across in a while.

This still didn't answer the question of why they were all here.

"I don't know why she sent you to me," Beiste frowned, "but I know someone who might be more help."

"Who?" Mrs. Chang, Beiste assumed, asked.

The coach set down her mug by the coffee table and took out her cell phone. "A friend," she murmured, flicking through the list of contacts and stopping at Will Schuester.

…

Sam took measured breathes and tried not to freak out. The cartoons that guided his mission to tracking down Finn were going haywire. Ever since the strange conversation with Laurence, more and more toons and images invaded his vision. It used to be cohesive, he could see what was really there just with the added bonus of signs and shapes to tell him what they could also be or what they had been. A pencil would transform into a small branch, or he could make it become paper and then make it a weapon. It was easy to understand and fueled his imagination.

Now, however, he couldn't control what he wanted to see, and reality was slipping very quickly. Not ten minutes ago the sleeping woman he'd been watching turned into a child with a paper tiara and plastic princess shoes. The bed looked like it belonged in a dumpster and the walls were infested with roaches and other cringe worthy pests that Sam knew weren't real, but it still made his skin crawl.

He tried to wish away the images, but they only became worse. He could feel his body melting and bubbling in a way that was not related to any joyful feeling. He literally felt like any second he was going to fall apart.

The blond bit his lip, clutching his arms and digging blunt nails into soft skin that were itching for something. He let out ragged breathes through gritted teeth. He knew what he needed. It had been a long time since he had it, but he didn't know if it would help with his problem. His ability was becoming too much. It was like it was fighting to burst out of him.

A strangled noise gurgled in his throat. There was a snake slithering up his leg. The floor was breaking and resetting itself.

If this was really happening – if he was unconsciously making some of his visions real – that meant the motel would be in shambles in any minute. He'd be caught under all of it, and he wouldn't be able to complete the task Laurence gave him.

Fuck it.

Stumbling to his feet and kicking off the snake, Sam snatched the case from the foot of the bed. Jackie had stopped hiding it after he proved he wouldn't be going in it again. The most logical thing to do would have been to throw them away, but he wasn't complaining. Jackie wasn't the brightest crayon in the box.

Opening the small case which to him looked like a treasure chest, Sam took one of the few remaining vials and opened the bottom compartment where fresh needles were stored.

Only one shot.

One last shot and he would stop.

…

The convenience store was as dead as the motel had been when they left it. The snow had kept people at home, and Apate's detainment of teenagers had lessened the likelihood of anyone willing to brave the cold weather. That's how it was when Finn and Kurt entered the store anyway. Despite the lack of people, they still dressed up in disguises, Finn was back in the thick coat and beard, and Kurt in a more stylish attire that gave the impression that he was a skater boy. It didn't make him look any older, but he had the fake ID on him, so he wasn't worried.

They wandered around the small aisles, throwing each other secretive smiles when they made eye contact, still fluttery after the events of last night. Finn made it a point to grab the condoms and add it to the pile of stuff they were buying in the basket. Kurt blushed.

They made a halt by the frozen foods section and eyed the limited selection of small packages. Most were for either diets, or bite sized renditions of pizza. After having gone through stale bagel bites for breakfast, Finn was starting to sorely miss the bacon and eggs his mother would sometimes cook for him.

Then, of course, at the thought of his mother, he remembered how much he missed her and home. He missed Burt and their chance to really bond once they moved in to the new house. Above all, he really missed his bed.

He missed school. His friends. Glee club.

Shit, he even missed Coach Sylvester.

Kurt took Finn's hand and squeezed it before opening the glass door and selecting a few packets of healthy meals. After a moment of heavy consideration, he also grabbed a hot pocket. "You think this is enough?"

Finn looked around and grabbed a bag of sour worms, "yep."

Kurt raised an eyebrow at him, but laughed and walked to the cash register.

The cashier hadn't noticed them at all. She was looking at the small television from behind the counter, and she seemed closer and closer to crying.

Kurt looked at Finn uneasily from over his sunglasses, he cleared his throat pointedly to the woman, "excuse me."

She didn't budge. Tears openly rolling down her cheeks. Out of curiosity, Finn leaned over the counter to look at the television and flinched when he saw it was a news report. He would have backed away had Laurence Niac's picture not flashed on the screen with the word Wanted underneath. It switched to footage of Apate in the Lima location, kids walking out in crowds as if they'd just gone through a school shooting and were grieving their tragedies. Some medics were carting patients out in stretchers, one of whom was focused on Rachel, strapped down and under an oxygen mask.

He remembered her profile from the files he stole, the big red X covering her photograph. An X could mean so many different things, 'unimportant', 'rejection', 'accomplished', 'acquired', 'failure'…

Death.

"Rachel," the name slipped out in a tiny voice.

"GIVE ME BACK MY SON!"

Both boys and the cashier jumped. There was a man outside running down the street and chasing a van. Groups of equally riled people were behind him, bats and whatever was handy out and ready for destruction.

Sniffling and setting her shoulders, the woman grabbed a shotgun hidden under the counter and marched out of the store to join the angry mob. Finn and Kurt stared after her dumbfounded.

"Is that our cue to leave?" Finn asked uncertainly.

"They're waking up," Kurt said in shock. He removed his sunglasses and walked to the door to get a better view. "Laurence's hypnotism is breaking. Right?"

Finn didn't say anything to that. The hypnotism breaking was good, but now there were thousands of parents angry and desperate to reunite with their kids. The mob here looked ready to kill to exact revenge. Once the kids who weren't captured and playing hero got wind of this, they would only add to the chaos and make things worse rather than better.

He joined Kurt by the door for a better look. It was getting ugly out there. The van had swerved and hit a street light. The crowd had swarmed around it, banging it up with their weapons. Amongst them something caught his eye.

Not all the people out there were adults.

"We'd better leave before they figure us out," Kurt put the sunglasses back on and adjusted the beanie further over his head. "Even if they're coming back to their senses we're still wanted people."

"Wait."

"We're not getting involved in this," Kurt said sharply, "they have bats and guns – we've been over this before."

"I know," Finn mumbled.

"And we're not going to Babylon," he blurted out suddenly, afraid that Finn forgot his promise.

"We're not," he sighed and pulled off the fake beard he'd been wearing. If Kurt could manage a disguise without the itchy thing then so could he. He was starting to feel ridiculous anyway. "But they're going to hurt each other, there's probably riots everywhere else and – "

"And you feel obligated to play Hero," Kurt scowled. He ripped off his sunglasses and looked at him hard, "Isn't that exactly what you _didn't_ want victims to do?"

"That's not what I meant…" Finn said lamely. He looked through the glass door where the mob managed to turn the van over, trapping the driver. The telltale wails of police cars approaching sang through the streets, but didn't veil over the shouts and cries of grief from the people breaking down the Apate vehicle. "I just…" he shook his head, "never mind, lets go."

He took Kurt's hand and rushed them across the street to the motel where Howard was standing by the door looking at the mob with shock. He was talking hurriedly through his phone, and once he saw Kurt and Finn, he opened the door and ushered them inside.

The motel owner clicked his phone shut and looked at them with wide eyes, "what the hell's going on!?"

"Long story," Kurt said shortly, "we need to leave."

"Yeah, the police are on their way, I had to call them," Howard rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly, "it's was either your safety or theirs."

"It's okay, Finn let's go," Kurt pulled him away to their room. All they needed to do was grab their bags and leave unnoticed. Simple plan, and the chaos would help keep the police distracted. Luckily, they didn't do much unpacking since they assumed they would be leaving shortly anyway.

"Kurt – "

They wouldn't be going to Babylon, wherever the hell that was, so maybe it would be best to just drive out of the country. From what the papers said, most countries were unaffected by the disease. Maybe Canada was clean.

"Kurt!"

They could drive there, rest and think of a better plan. A solid plan. Finn was still in contact with Suzy, all he needed to do was talk to her to get their parents location, find them, and live out the rest of their lives in Quebec or something.

"Kurt!" Finn grabbed him by the shoulders, "you're freaking out, all the cops are gonna do is stop the riot – they don't even know we're here."

"They will if we stay here too long."

"Yeah, I know but – " Kurt squirmed away and pulled out a baseball cap from the bag. They needed to change disguises, the people outside may have seen them and report to the police their description. Finn grabbed his hands, forcing him to look at him. "Do you remember when Matt came over and said I had to follow the white rabbit?" Kurt nodded uncertainly, only half listening, plans forming upon themselves in his head for different ways to flee the country, "I saw her just now. Alice was out there."

Kurt looked at him completely lost, his rapid thoughts slowing to a halt until it hit him and his eyes widened in horror. He shook his head feverishly, "you promised – you promised we wouldn't go – "

"I just want to see how far she'll take us." The smaller teen's bottom lip trembled. "I swear I'm not going to leave you."

"What if it's a trap?"

"Then I'll time jump out," he said simply, "I've been practicing, remember?" Kurt still looked skeptical and scared, "I just have a lot of questions."

Kurt looked down at their clasped hands. Still a little red and cold from being outside. He sighed and shut his eyes. He had questions too, but he never met Alice, and was starting to doubt he ever would. Some days had passed since Youngstown, and he had yet to show any symptoms of the disease. He didn't feel any different, and he had no dreams of having any powers. He supposed he had a high immune system, but after seeing so many victims, could it be possible that he was the only one?

Why was he able to stop Finn's hallucinations? What reason was there behind that?

"Time jump?" he asked finally in a tiny voice. Finn nodded. "And you can do it with two people?"

"I think so…" Kurt threw him a frightened look. "Yes! I can do it, I know I can."

He shook his head. Getting questions answered was something he wanted too, but the smarter option was so leave them behind and run away. They needed to let things die down first. Right now people were going hysterical over the broken hypnotism. There was no explaining why it happened, but with time and investigation police would realize that he and Finn were just kids caught in the plans of a psychotic organization. When that time would come, then it would be safe enough to go back and get their questions answered.

But how long would that take?

The hypnotism lifting may be the work of Matt, but what if it was really Apate's plan? What if whatever they were planning was almost complete and the need for Laurence's ability was no longer required? He didn't know what to think. He was scared, he and Finn only had each other to depend on, and if he lost that, he had nothing. Not even his father. Everything in him hurt at the thought of losing Finn.

Biting the inside of his cheek and hoping he was making the right decision, Kurt dug through the pocket of his coat and handed over the cars keys with great reluctance.

"You drive. I guess I can't hold your hand this time since she'll just disappear if I do…"

As thanks, Finn kissed him, momentarily erasing fears and doubts from his mind.

…

 

Some Hours Before

They didn't have much time before havok broke loose. Once Laurence's hypnotism disappeared, the patients went into a panic. With security gone there was no way to control it, all Matt could do was watch from the office the pandemonium that ensued. Kids were falling over each other, running around and screaming in wild confusion. Even from up above, the time jumper could tell that both the effects of Pollen and Laurence's hypnotism had left their system.

Which brought to question whether the same was happening outside?

Maybe that's why there wasn't a single adult in the building other than the CEO. They too broke free from the spell and instead of freeing patients, they hauled ass. Showed what kind of people Apate hired, Matt didn't miss them one bit.

If he assumed Laurence's hold on everyone had lifted, that meant there would be angry parents on their way to their doors. They would be accompanied by cops, FBI, and other types of authority all with the shared goal of having Laurence's head. He wouldn't be leaving the building alive, and right now Matt could not have that.

Maybe later. But not right now.

"Matt, can you please tell me what's going on?"

He turned away from the window to the man Laurence had transformed into. He looked harried – like he hadn't slept in days. Considering the conflict the CEO had been going through, this was logical. He looked in worse shape than Laurence had been, and that was saying a lot.

"I saw myself," there were tears glistening in his eyes as he leaned against the desk in exhaustion, "doing things I would never do. Saying…horrible things and…controlling people like they were my own personal puppets." He shook his head, staring at his hands, "One day I'm myself, and another someone else takes control…it's like a second person is _living_ inside of me I…I've tried to take control of myself, but it's like…being stuck inside a darkness with only watching yourself move around to entertain you…with no body or any way to have control…how long have I been like this?"

As Matt tried to come up with an answer he wasn't sure of himself, he finally heard it. The sirens of police coming closer and closer. So the world was waking up after all. And time was running short. He took the distraught man's hand and steeled himself once more.

"Don't freak out," he said unhelpfully.

The man had only a brief second to look confused before the office disappeared and they were standing in a cold winter day at the back of the institution in just their one layer of clothing. And of course the man freaked out.

"Oh my god! Oh my god!" he stumbled backwards and supported himself against the wall, "how did you do that? We were just – you just! Oh my god!"

Matt really wanted to throw up, but there was nothing in his stomach to come out, not even the stale meal from last night.

"We need to start moving," he rasped, bending down and clutching his knees, "I need to talk to Laurence and if we stay here any longer, you're going to get arrested."

"Wha-what? What! L-Laurence?" the man stammered, about ready to fall in the dirty snow, "I just got control back!"

Matt took a few deep breaths, white spots forming in his eyes from the pain. This was the first time he took another person with him on a jump, and the effects were not pleasing. "Look, it's only for a little – " He stopped short and looked past the haggard man. A run down discolored Chevrolet with an angry motor had turned the corner and entered the parking lot, slowing to a stop right in front of them. It wasn't a cop, Matt waited anxiously as the front door opened and a beautiful woman with highlighted blonde hair stepped out, wrapping her rather expensive looking coat tightly around her which Matt was sure was a fake.

Stepping up to him, the woman removed her sunglasses and smiled at him. "I remember you," she said sweetly with a light southern lilt, "you were that quiet kid in the…" her smile faded once she saw the person standing by Matt. "Oh my goodness!" she burst into a bright grin and swamped him into a tight hug, "it's been a while! How are you? Have you seen the news? The whole country's gone nuts! And…"

Matt took her shoulder, "we'll catch up later, right now we need to go before the place gets swamped by the cops."

The woman stilled and turned around with wide eyes. "I recognize your… _you_ called me out here!"

"There's been a change of plans – we need him to help us," he nodded to the man the woman was still hugging. She looked from him, to Matt blankly.

"So…no breaking free prisoners from Psycho Asylum?" she asked flatly, repeating the words Matt had said during their one phone conversation, "I knew I should have stayed in New York…"

"You don't want to know why you can do things with your voice no one else can?" Matt raised his eyebrows, making the woman's face darken, "I'll tell you what I know, so long as you help us hide," she looked to her friend who was just as confused and about ready to either faint or bash his head against something to make the world sensible again. "We need your help Alison. You're just about the only adult I can trust, and if you leave us then he – " he pointed to the man, "will be arrested for doing something he wasn't aware he of."

Alison narrowed her eyes thoughtfully and finally let go of her friend. She put her sunglasses back on and flicked her hair defiantly, walking back to her car and opening the passenger seat. "I'll do what I can if you keep your end of the bargain."

"Thank you," Matt sighed in relief.

"And one more thing," she quirked an eyebrow at him, "stop calling me Alison. My name, sweety pie, is April Rhodes."

...

"Anything change yet?" Kurt asked.

They'd been driving for twenty minutes through the city. Everywhere they looked people were either crying or running around. Traffic was jamming up streets for long lines that would lead to the highway. Everyone had the same thought in mind: bring back their loved ones from Apate, and hurt the people who took them away. The pair had spied a few news reporters here and there, but apart from that and the lack of a radio, they had no news over what was happening.

Miraculously, no hallucinations popped out for Finn. He knew that if one did come up, that he would use his 'Knight Kurt' to erase it. The real Kurt had yet to see it, and he hoped he never would, it was embarrassing enough to have Ella tease him about it, he didn't want Kurt to do it too. Great as it was to not have to use his secret weapon, it bothered him that not even the environment changed like it had the night he escaped Apate. They were surrounded by hundreds of people who were in a panic and fearing the worst, the least that could happen was seeing zombies or dead versions of teenagers. None of that occurred, the only unreal thing Finn could see was Alice who was currently hopping off the roofs of cars in front of him.

Not counting her, Finn didn't see anything else all day. That could only mean that his practice last night was helping, or what he did with Kurt somehow lengthened the time he would be able to see normally.

So if that were true…

Finn shook his head. He couldn't think about these things right now, fighting off an arousal he cleared his dry throat, "no, everything's normal."

"Oh…that's good," Kurt nodded, an awkward air hanging around them. "And…Alice?"

"Still there…shit." The little girl got bored of playing around and hopped off down a street that led to a bridge. Not many cars were lined up for it. Trying to make do with the little space he had, Finn turned away from the traffic and drove into the Smithfield Street Bridge, earning several angry honks from cars trying to get past him. Alice looked back and smiled toothily, still jumping on roofs of cars as if she were light enough to be blown by a breeze.

"We're leaving the city," Kurt straightened up in alarm.

"I know."

"You know?"

"Matt said she took him as far as Harrisburg and after that, something stopped him. If we reach Harrisburg we'll stop and go back. Wait for things to cool down, and go find mom and Burt," he glanced at Kurt. He was sitting rigid with his legs crossed and hands clasped tight over the manila folder. He was staring straight ahead, trying to see what Finn could see, and obviously failing.

"Everyone has seen her but me," he said softly.

"That's good, isn't it?" Finn asked, "that means you're not infected, and you haven't had any dreams of having powers right?" Kurt shook his head, "So what's the problem?" They reached the end of the bridge and entered a quieter, woodsy place. Landing on the street, Alice looked around and took a random direction down the road. A car honked behind him, Finn hit the gas and followed her. "Do you _want_ superpowers?"

"No, it's just…" Kurt huffed, looking at the folder on his lap, "when anyone else – even our parents who _aren't_ infected – touch you, you still hallucinate. But when I touch you…why? If that's my ability, why don't I have the symptoms? I can't have that big of an immune system, I get sick just as much as everyone else…"

Finn hadn't thought of that. But he remembered the Network, and he remembered seeing Kurt's planet. It was an intimidating and frightening sight, so unlike the small figure of Kurt sitting beside him. He wanted to believe that he got the planets confused, but something in him just knew it belonged to Kurt. Despite its eerie darkness there was warmth coming from it. Prideful, stubborn, compassionate and loving. It was all in there, compressed within its giant chains ready to burst for freedom.

And on that, Finn could agree was the definition of Kurt.

Maybe that's why the padlock opened. Last night was far from what Finn assumed to be Kurt's fantasies of his first time, but it was still a huge moment in his life. If he thought of it one way, those chains may have been put there by Kurt himself. He'd been hurt so much; he locked away his heart to protect himself. After last night, he was finally opening up and those chains would slowly melt away. That Kurt considered him so important he would open his heart for him said a lot and Finn found the idea not as scary as he thought he would. Kurt held the same responsibility after last night too after all.

The clown probably didn't have to mess with him at all. It felt like he'd been in love with Kurt for ages. Kissing him, holding him, everything felt as natural as breathing. It was _better_ than breathing.

And he was getting distracted.

"Maybe you can cure us," he said quietly. They cut off from the main road and into a park. Kurt looked at him oddly. "You don't have symptoms, you can stop my hallucinations, maybe there's something in your skin or blood that just… _stops_ the infection."

"Could be…" Kurt mumbled.

There was no more road to go, and Alice had taken a path into the woods. Finn looked around the empty park perplexedly, "where are we?"

Kurt snorted, "According to the sign," he pointed behind him, "Mount Washington Park. Where is she going? Are we going to walk?"

"Yep. In the woods," parking the car, Finn shut off the engine and freed himself of the safety belt. Kurt threw him a look.

"The woods," he repeated dryly. Finn nodded and slipped out of the car. Kurt followed suit, tugging his scarf more snuggly around his neck, "we're doing what every thriller slasher movie's told us not to do."

"Time jumping, dude," Finn grinned cheekily at him. He went the general direction Alice went and shortly heard Kurt catching up and falling into step with him. "Also," he pulled up a bit of his sleeve to show the word Protection written on his wrist. He put it there shortly before leaving the motel. Pressing a thumb against it, all he did was focus and suddenly they were inside a clear purple dome that resembled a very large bubble. "I'll have this up at all times, we'll be fine."

This distracted Kurt enough to be in awe of the shield-like bubble they were inside. As they entered the small forest, everything from bushes to trees were pushed away without threatening to pop the bubble. It caused a great deal of noise, but with how empty the park was and how distraught the city had become, both doubted anyone would notice a bunch of trees falling.

"I'll never get used to this…" Kurt breathed, watching a nearby tree groan against the shield, its roots pulling up as it was pushed further back. "All you need is the ability to fly and you'd be Superman."

"Yeah, but I'm not a superhero," nature seemed to take that moment to put a rock in Finn's way. He tripped over it and ate the ground, almost losing focus on the shield. He scrambled to his feet before Kurt could help him up, he busily wiped as much dirt and snow from his coat, face burning not only from the cold weather. Kurt tried not to laugh, but his lips were twitching. "I'm more like X-Men…"

"Like Wolverine?" Kurt supplied lightly.

"No I mean like…" he paused and considered this. He was going to say Cyclops, but then Wolverine was the guinea pig to a freak experiment and he was an immortal which meant he saw a lot of his friends and lovers grow old and die without him, which totally sucked. And Finn was immortal now thanks to Sunshine, and a victim to an experiment. Plus the world made out a ridiculous story that he was evil and Kurt was his incestuous lover…which was kind of true, but they weren't blood brothers, their parents just happened to fall in love first, and that made their current relationship kind of awkward. It wasn't incestuous, just…bad timing! "Yes, I'm Wolverine," he gave up.

"Oh good, I got that right," Kurt clapped, proud of himself, "I was going to say Rogue, but maybe I'm more her – but the other way around, I don't suck the life out of you, but I do take away your hallucinations."

"I'm glad Hugh Jackman got you to know the world of X-Men," Finn smiled playfully, knowing for a fact that Kurt knew next to nothing about the comics. Not that he knew much either, this was more Sam's department, but Kurt didn't need to know that.

"He is a beautiful man," he sighed dreamily.

Finn wanted to continue their light conversation, but Alice took that moment to walk through a tree. In the whole time they followed her, she didn't leave like she normally would. It used to be that she'd pop up, giggle, then run off. Now that she disappeared, Finn had a feeling whatever she was leading them to, this was their stop. He looked around just in case. The small forest was empty, no sign of people around, and he could see a small hint of the park far behind them so they weren't completely lost. He kept the shield up though, and looked at the tree curiously.

"What happened?"

Finn walked up the spot Alice vanished. It was an old tree, tall and with a wide trunk. Some of its thick roots were curled above ground. It groaned threateningly when the bubble shield pushed against it, and not wanting to uproot it, Finn stepped back.

The ground bounced ever so slightly. Enough for him to notice. "She left," he answered Kurt, "I think…" he did a little hop and the ground bounced in resistance with a creak. Stepping away, he kneeled down and brushed off the snow and dirty. Kurt joined him and by the time they revealed a small wooden trap door, their gloves were wet and freezing. Shaking his hands, Finn grabbed the handle and lifted it, finding it surprisingly easy even though it was decades old and rusting. Someone had been using it recently.

A narrow staircase led down to a dimly lit hallway that looked to be the makings of a rusty looking basement. When he looked at the inside of the trap door, he saw the clean cut letters of Apate printed over the rotting wood.

"Is this Babylon?" Kurt asked fearfully.

"I don't think so," Finn couldn't be sure, "they made it seem like Babylon's this huge and high tech place – this….might be an old location." He crawled to the stairs and started going down, but Kurt held him back fiercely. Startled, Finn lost focus and the bubble shield vanished.

"Light's mean there's someone there," he whispered, "it's a trap."

"I can time jump," Finn insisted. Kurt didn't let him go, "come on dude, it'll only be for a few minutes – and I still have this," he lifted up his wrist to show Protection there.

"Aren't you scared at all?" Kurt asked incredulously.

"I'm scared all the time," Finn admitted guiltily, "and I don't want to be anymore," he mumbled. "Five minutes, Kurt, then we can leave."

Said boy sighed and reluctantly let go. The space was too small for Finn to put up the protection, so he pulled out a marker from his pocket and scrawled Small Protection above the previous one. The bubble returned, but smaller and easier to navigate in the narrow hallway they landed in.

"After last night I can't believe you still call me dude," Kurt pouted, earning a bright blush from Finn.

…

They left Lima and were well on their way out of Ohio. Matt wasn't sure what direction April was taking, but they were going somewhere, and they hadn't been stopped by any cops. Which was good because right in the middle of their drive Laurence returned, momentarily frightening April into almost getting them into an accident.

"Recognize him now?" Matt asked the woman.

"From tv," she said between gasps for air, "what the hell just happened?"

"I have no idea," the teen said honestly, looking speculatively at Laurence. He was much calmer than last time, but far from relaxed. "Up until recently he was only a hypnotist, I didn't know he was a shape shifter."

"I'm not," Laurence bit out with a snarl. "We have to go to Babylon. She's built up an army already and – " he stopped short when he finally looked at the driver and paled. "Alison."

April scowled cutely, "why does everyone keep calling me that?"

Laurence continued staring at her in awe, reaching out and brushing over her shoulder. Matt raised an eyebrow at the act, suddenly feeling very uncomfortable.

"You're real," the CEO said quietly.

The woman barked a laugh, "of course I'm real, honey!"

Realizing he was still touching her, Laurence wrenched his hand back in embarrassment, glancing back at Matt. "I'm guessing you called her here."

"She was needed."

"She has a normal life!" he ground out angrily.

"I'm right here," April rolled her eyes, clucking her tongue. "Now can someone tell me what's going on?"

"Okay," Matt clasped his hands thoughtfully, "my theory is that you, Laurence, and Jackie – "

"Who's Jackie?" April cut in.

"Nurse from Apate – Laurence married her – as their other selves…it's complicated," Matt waved her off, "anyway, the three of you were a part of an experiment to get superpowers. You were traumatized, Jackie was immune, and Laurence was kept for his ability and loyalty." April frowned in confusion, "you guys were kids when this happened. Since Laurence is a hypnotist I thought he made you forget your memories and put in new ones, but I found out that wasn't true."

"Why?" April asked, humoring him.

"He's a victim also. His boss may be responsible for all of the mind wipes," Matt finished.

"Mind wipes?"

Matt turned to Laurence. The man looked to have tasted something nasty, probably just remembering all the crap he did and that he wasn't even real.

"She always goes by aliases," he started grimly, "she was a patient too. Or I assume she was, she'd been there longer than any of us and was already developing her ability…a concentrated version of hypnotism. She trained herself into using it by giving people new names and making them believe it. Once you've been given a name, you start to forget who you used to be, and if you're under it long enough…like me and Jackie," April gave him a frown, "you start to see yourself differently, and physically change. You," he turned to the driver, "were considered useless, She gave us new names from the start – called you Alison Valley, when you failed to meet Apate's standards, she returned you to April Rhodes and made you forget everything that happened during your stay at the institution. I remained because my abilities would help advance Apate's mission. And Jackie stayed…because I asked her to."

"You were in love with her," Matt elaborated, making Laurence twitch involuntarily.

"Yes well, we all know how that worked out," he scowled, "I guess she pitied me and let us live two lives in Lima, using us only when she found it necessary. I never knew she used her ability on us until now – it explains why I've been able to turn from one face to another, I thought it was a side effect," he mumbled to himself, "that he was a work of my own hypnosis and took a life of his own. I can't accept that it's me who's the lie…"

"If she was a patient, how did she become the president of the organization?" Matt asked.

"I don't know," Laurence shook his head, "the woman has aliases upon aliases, you can be sure she has a hidden agenda. I just followed her lead under the belief that I was doing something good…"

"So you don't mind going to Babylon and shutting Apate down?" he didn't even have to ask.

"I just want to kill her," Laurence said plainly.

April squinted her eyes, like a child working to make sense of a ridiculous equation. "I was an experiment to make superheroes?" she asked doubtfully. "Can't say I remember that."

"It was more to find an all powerful cure," Laurence muttered distractedly.

Matt perked up at this, "cure?"

"From what I've understood, the original mission was to change DNA into attaining the ability to heal one's self – would have been beneficial to the medical world," Laurence explained, "we've looked for answers in exotic plants and animals – ways to be rid of cancer and terminal diseases. Why not try within our own genetic code? That's how it's started at least," he looked at his hands, "we never imagined that by doing so may also bring abilities other than healing. We created a new disease in our search to cure ourselves…what we need now is an ability to take away the disease…something to suck it out…a black hole, so to say."

"I've met a few healers, but not someone who can take away abilities," Matt said darkly.

"That's because such a person is theoretical," Laurence sighed.

A grim silence fell over the car. Matt tried thinking of anyone he met who fit the description, but none came to mind, not even people he'd only heard of. To be honest, the only powerful people he met were Finn and Suzy, but they were far from the kind of people Laurence was talking about – nor had they talked of anyone like that in their dream hopping ventures. And being one of the few people who had access to every person infected, Laurence didn't know of anyone with that kind of power either. It _did_ make him think of Kurt, who took away Finn's hallucinations via touch, but beyond that Matt wasn't sure if abilities were taken as well.

Which meant it was just that, a theory.

And he was going to be stuck a time jumper forever.

"So…I was an experiment?" April cut through the silence.

…

The narrow hallway led down to a room at the end. The walls were dirty and cracked with age, and didn't ease the pair one bit as they walked through it. All kinds of scenario's flashed through their minds from finding carcasses of people hanging from the ceiling, to slimy underground monsters with huge razor sharp teeth and a thirst for flesh. Kurt cursed Finn for forcing him to watch slasher movies in exchange for his musicals. Not that watching scary movies scared him much, it was different when you found yourself in one.

The room they entered was as large as a factory; on the walls farthest away were doors that led to other rooms. From what Kurt could see, the room looked to have been a laboratory, some sinks were sticking up in random places where tables used to be, and there were thrown bits of broken vials used for science experiments. Empty and rusting cages lined up one wall, and ancient looking computers straight from the 80's lay discarded on the floors.

With Kurt not touching him, Finn was seeing a shiny new room lined with rows of steel tables, old fashioned technology, and a blackboard covered in equations. His environment distortion finally kicked in. Or he hoped it did, everything seemed so clean and shiny it had to be fake. Alice had made herself visible once more, and was sitting by a computer, her feet swaying back and forth from the edge of the table.

Taking his cue, Finn approached her. Kurt reached out to stop him, but held back in frustration and followed. The place was dimly lit enough for them not to need a flashlight which was good, because they didn't have one unless Finn somehow acquired the ability to become a human light bulb.

They stopped in front of the only computer sitting properly on a desk. It was covered in dust and cobwebs, and the keyboard was missing, but once they were close enough, the monitor blinked to life. An image of the sun appeared, startling Kurt into grabbing Finn who flinched from the change of scenery.

"Thank you for letting me guide you here, Finn," the computer spoke in a distorted childlike voice.

"Who are you?" Finn looked around the abandoned room, in case someone was hiding and about to attack.

"I am the president of Apate Home for the Youth," the computer answered calmly; "I've heard you've been trying to find me. You and your brother have a lot of questions." Finn shut his mouth and glared at the screen. "Unfortunately, I cannot fully explain myself until you come to Babylon, where our current headquarters resides."

"We're not going to Babylon," Kurt said quickly, "Laurence's hallucination broke, people are going after your head – "

"Is that you Kurt?" the president asked pleasantly, "my, I have many questions for _you_."

"He's right, we're not going to Babylon – we don't even know where it is," Finn said, "we're going to find our parents and find a cure. You're going to get arrested and…get the death penalty or something."

"It's not a question of whether you come here or not. You will come to Babylon," the computer said simply, "you have questions. I can provide answers. I can also return your friends."

Kurt stiffened, "what are you talking about?"

The picture of the sun was replaced by footage of Blaine sleeping in a hospital bed, his arms covered in bandages. There was also a picture of a blue skinned Quinn sitting in a chair in what looked like a cell similar to the one Finn had in Lima. Another picture showed of Mercedes with a muzzle, strapped to a bed.

A little cry fell out of Kurt's mouth.

"I also have a boy who can manipulate dreams – the Clown as you know – at my disposal," the voice said, "he's been helping me in keeping you preoccupied while I made the final preparations for your arrival," Finn froze. "it took some digging for him, but he found the perfect diversion and used it to his advantage."

"What's she talking about?" Kurt asked Finn. The answer couldn't come out of his mouth, he paled and hoped the woman wouldn't say what he feared she would. He was going to tell Kurt the truth, but never found the right time or right way to do it without hurting him.

"I – I…" Finn stammered. Kurt's heart started to thud. If he looked this scared, then maybe what the woman was saying had some truth to it – whatever 'it' was. He was getting a bad feeling.

"Dreams have a way of pulling random thoughts and turning them into action," the president said lightly. "My dream manipulator can find those random thoughts and turn them any way he wants be it fear, love, or hate. In Finn's case, Kurt, he found a memory of the car accident – an image forced on him by another Wanderer who sacrificed herself by taking control of his body in order to save his life. An image of you."

"What?" Kurt said softly, recalling the last time Finn spoke of the nature of his accident. He said the last thing he thought of before blacking out had been…

"Suzy…" Finn shook his head in disbelief, "no, she died trying to stop you – "

"She died by pushing past her boundaries – instead of simply visiting your mind, she took over it and could no longer return to her own," the woman explained curtly, "what you thought was your subconscious trying to tell you something was really a random act of Suzy Pepper in a desperate attempt to save your life."

"And your manipulator…" Kurt said quietly, his hand dropping away from Finn.

"As instructed, he created certain dreams – "

"Shut up!" panicked, Finn grabbed the monitor and shoved it off the table. It crashed to the floor, the screen shattered, and there was a brief flash of the circuitry exploding, dying out in little snaps and fizzes.

"…to make Finn love you."

The speakers were still working, connected to a different system from under the table. Finn paled in horror, staring at them with wide eyes even after the little light on the main speaker faded away. He turned to Kurt who was staring at them too with an unreadable face. "It's not true," Finn said, shaking his head.

The other boy shut his slackened jaw and looked up at him. "I…" he looked tiny again, scared and lonely. He shook his head roughly and tried to smile, "I believe you…"

"Okay…" Finn swallowed thickly. Hesitantly, he reached out for him, but he turned sharply and left the room in a breeze.

"We have to go to Babylon," Kurt said with an air of defeat. "She has our friends and…" he dug his hands into his pockets, "and she also has Blaine."

Feeling like an arrow was shot through his chest, Finn almost couldn't chase after him. "Kurt I swear – "

He whipped around angrily, "If it's not the truth then why did you react like that? Why did you get so scared when she mentioned a manipulator?"

"I got rid of him!" Finn said desperately, holding Kurt by the shoulders, "he was like a virus, and now that he's gone I'm in control of myself again, what I feel for you is real, you have to believe me!"

"I knew something like this was going to happen," Kurt mumbled, shaking his head, "this is worse than 'not if you're the last person on the planet', you never…you never loved me, it had to take someone else to plug the idea in your head for it to happen – I'm so stupid, I'm so…" he pulled away from Finn.

He walked determinedly to the door, but was stopped short by someone appearing in front of him in a bright glow. He was clad in armor, with an impressive sword in one hand and a triangular shield in the other. Kurt didn't know what to say at the sight. He turned to Finn in disbelief, his hurt and anger replaced with shock.

He was staring at the floor, cheeks red in humiliation. "Ella told me that's how I feel about you."

"That's creepy," Kurt blurted out.

"I know." The knight disappeared, but Finn was still wholly mortified, "that's how I got rid of the clown. I can think clearly now, and it's easier to figure out what I'm feeling…what I said back at the motel is still true. The whole time I was stuck at the institution, all I ever thought of was you."

"But – "

"I don't care if it was Suzy or the clown who put the idea in my head," he was getting tired of trying to figure that out anyway, "what matters is I chose to feel this way after everything that's happened to us. After glee club, Rachel, Quinn, our parents getting married…the clown did nothing but make a suggestion, and after I got rid of him I still loved you, so he really didn't do much to me at all. He just pointed me in the right direction so it wouldn't take me ten more years to figure it out on my own."

"Finn, before any of this happened, you loved Rachel," Kurt rationalized quietly; "you did everything you could to make her happy."

"I did love her," he nodded, "she's weird and intense, and I liked that about her. But she's not you. She didn't care who I was before I joined glee club. You did."

Kurt blushed, remembering times of crossing paths in the halls, staring after the back of his head longingly while he wrapped a secure arm around the slender hips of Quinn Fabray. It felt like decades had passed since then. Being cursed and spat on felt like innocent childhood memories compared to the life they were in now.

"I kind of wish you were straight again so I wouldn't feel so confused now," he murmured.

Finn almost laughed if the situation weren't so depressing, "yeah, I'm gonna have to revise that…"

Kurt gave him a tiny smile, but it faded when another thought crossed him. "They have our friends."

"I promised – "

"They have our friends," Kurt repeated sternly. "And the Clown."

Finn stared at Kurt, taken aback by the fire in his eyes; it was kind of a turn on. "Right, they have our friends…Harrisburg it is."

Kurt nodded approvingly, and after a moment, pulled Finn down for a quick kiss. As he pulled away, Finn cradled the back of his head and dived in for another. His knees started to weaken, as they always did whenever they kissed. He clutched on to the front of Finn's coat, their bodies pressed close as they lost themselves in their suddenly passionate kiss.

So much so that they didn't realize they weren't alone anymore.

"Oh great, who left the door open?"

The couple broke apart in terror, turning to the group of kids crowded at the door. At the forefront was a large girl with an arched eyebrow and colorful attire that was arranged in such a way that even Kurt could approve."Y'all better tell us who you are," she said, sassily rolling her neck, "or Unique's gonna have to slap it outta your skinny asses." She pursed her glossy lips and snapped her fingers, "trust."


	24. The Chase

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The country takes a vacation from peace. Finn has a panic attack. And the train is so not an Amtrak.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> took some creative freedom with the train, because I suck. Also YAY! The fic's caught up! update for the next chapter won't be for a few weeks sadly :( I work and there's a lot of summer babies in my family I have to make cakes for, but since I've been able to write more now that I got a laptop, updates won't be as bad as they had been before I came to AO3 (every seven months...)

…

Chapter Twenty-Four

The Chase

…

Finn wanted to throw up.

Seriously. The sandwich he managed to eat earlier was crawling its way up his esophagus. Pretty soon he'd have stomach contents on his lap and the kid dressed as an old man next to him would yell at him, the train would burst in panic and he'd run off to the bathroom to finish. All in the span of twenty seconds.

Biting his lip, the empath forced himself to calm down and stare at the seats in front of him.

The train ride was going to take a while. In addition to the length of time it would take to reach New York, there were repairs being done to the tracks. The train had been moving at a sluggish pace ever since leaving Harrisburg.

Oh yeah, Harrisburg? They stayed there for all of one hour.

Finn shut his eyes and tried to distract his nausea with the events that unfolded since meeting Unique and her friends.

Not surprisingly, it turned out they were runaways just like the kids they'd crossed paths on their journey to Babylon, only instead of going into hiding, or trying to play 'superhero' their group had only one thing in mind. One of theirs had been taken by Apate. A girl by the name of Marley. They said that she'd been a part of their group ever since the institution started collecting kids. She was like their kid sister who needed protection. More importantly, if she landed on the wrong hands, the whole world would be at stake.

Marley was a stage three victim. She had the ability to change futures.

At first Finn assumed she could see the future then change it with her own actions by doing something different or asking someone to choose a different route. According to Unique, that wasn't entirely true.

When she said Marley could change futures, she meant she could see many possible futures, select one if needed and that future would be the one followed in the time stream. She could pick a future for one person, or on a larger scale – the entire universe.

Apate had her, and having seen how they abused their patients, the precog's friends were determined to get her back.

"Could she pick a future where none of this happened?" Kurt asked when Unique explained their story.

"Honey, she tried. Almost blew herself up," the colorful girl sighed.

Marley wasn't the only victim. Unique had the ability to turn into different people. Originally she was a he, but after gaining shapeshifting, she used it to become the girl she always viewed herself to be. The two jocks that were always at each others throats, and at the same time latched to them were Jake and Ryder. Jake could instantly protect himself from harm by turning into titanium, stone, or whatever necessary when attacked by something as lethal as a bullet, and Ryder was a speedster, though he had trouble in controlling how fast he went and was notorious for running into things.

The only other girl in the group was a snippy blonde named Kitty who had the ability to phase through solid objects much like Peter Sato, except she had to be invisible to make it happen.

Altogether they were a clumsy group of kids skirting around the watchful eye of Apate in search of their friend.

Their destination was Babylon. A place they discovered after taking refuge in the abandoned location Finn and Kurt stumbled into.

"There's several other locations before they made Lima official," Jake said darkly, showing them an old map hidden in one of the decrepit filing cabinets. As the couple looked over the marked locations dotting the country, they realized with shock that they were the very places they'd been to on their run from the institution. The names Alan himself kept recounting in Finn's dreams.

Maybe Alan knew more about Apate's history than he let on.

The map had been enlightening, but not as much as the document hiding underneath the map. A picture was clipped to the paper of four kids. Three girls, and one boy. They looked to be about eleven, and happily smiling at the camera as three of them held hands while the fourth one stood far off in the background, clearly not meant to be part of the picture. Finn felt a small sense of familiarity with them, but the document said it all.

Subject One: April Rhodes. Renamed Alison Valley

Strand: Unknown

Ability: Sonorous Kinetics (ability to move/destroy objects with voice)

Notes: Electric shock to test the strength of ability.

Subject Two: Terri Del Monico. Renamed Jackie Time

Strand: None

Ability: None

Notes: Immune. Will be disposed of via mind wipe.

Subject Three: William Schuester. Renamed Laurence Niac

Strand: Unknown

Ability: Hypnosis

Notes: Testing with Subject Zero to observe strength of ability.

Finn and Kurt were horrified. William Schuester? Mr. Schue? _He was Laurence?_

It didn't make sense. Mr. Schue looked nothing like Laurence. They couldn't believe it. And yet the picture of the child looked exactly like their teacher. It…they didn't know what to think…

The truth behind the identity of his favorite teacher lay in the back of Finn's mind as Kurt spoke with Unique. He felt betrayed. Kurt told him that Mr. Schue tried _helping_ him get out of Apate. Went to court and everything only to get kicked out by hypnotized officials. Or…if he _was_ Laurence, maybe he hypnotized them on the spot and pretended that he couldn't help at all…

It was too confusing. Too much to think about.

Harrisburg had been their final stop thanks to the locations Alan provided him with. The thing was, the map they found in Pittsburgh had New York all scratched up with dots punctured all over it. The state had a meaning to Apate, they needed to figure out what.

Plus Alice made another appearance leading them to the train station, dancing over the schedules and throwing them copies of New York. If that wasn't hint enough, they didn't know what was. Taking the car would have been a smarter route, except the engine finally conked out, leaving them without any personal transport that would have made traveling easier and way less public. So the need for disguises became the main priority,

Kurt had kept throwing him meaningful looks as they waited for the train, but Finn was completely lost. It was only when the track was announced that Kurt pulled him aside after they boarded.

"It's going to be okay," he said quietly, placing a hand on his cheek. "I know it's bothering you, but we'll figure it out. We have a team now. Not an army, but it's better than crashing in by ourselves. We can do this."

"I promised you we wouldn't go…" Finn whispered mournfully, too upset to care that his disguise fell apart in front of Kurt. The shorter boy pulled his hoody up as people boarding passed them.

"I know," Kurt lowered his anti-germ mas and pulled him down for a short kiss. Finn rested his head on his shoulder and wrapped his arms around him. They stayed that way long after passengers were all seated. "I'll make sure we get out of this together, in one piece. We sneak in, break our friends out, then run back home and find our parents. With Kitty helping us it'll be easier to get it done. We can do this."

Finn nodded against Kurt's shoulder and reluctantly pulled back to give him another kiss. Another assurance that he wasn't walking into a trap. And what he recently discovered was all a bad nightmare.

Now as he sat there with Jake next to him, Finn was growing more and more nervous. No one recognized him because he was using Unique's ability, and yet he still felt like all eyes were on him. He was starting to miss the itchy beard and stuffy coat. He at first was going to play an old man after several practiced attempts at shape shifting, but the dark girl complained he looked too much like his real self and insisted he switch to something no one would expect, and that would be a young blonde woman in her thirties.

It had been really strange to have his chest suddenly poof out and feel heavy, and his dick disappear to be replaced by something he could only describe as a long painless cut. It took a while to get used to it. It really fucked with his equilibrium. His bone structure shifted too, so now he looked like a legit girl in sunglasses, flattering trench coat, and flats. Unique wanted him in pumps, but there was no way he could take two steps without snapping an ankle. Either way, no one paid him any mind. To everyone on the train he was just a plain looking woman with boredom just as bad as theirs.

He glanced at the seat next to him separated by the narrow walkway where passengers and ticket collectors passed by.

Kurt was unable to use any kind of magical illusion on himself. He relied on the clothes Matt provided him with and was currently sporting a black sweater and jeans. His beanie was pulled over his head enough to hide almost all traces of his blond hair, and his sunglasses were big enough to cover half his face. He was playing up the severely ill act by wearing an anti-germ mask and throwing coughing fits every so often. Unique was disguised as his nurse, reading a book beside him. So far no one seemed to suspect anything.

And Finn wanted to throw up because FUCK he was scared.

Every time he looked at Kurt so 'vulnerable and sickly', his gut twisted with worry over their impending meeting with the Apate president. Out of all people in their impromptu group, Kurt had nothing to keep him protected from a fight. He was the weakest of their group just by having no powers. Finn would have to shield him with a protection bubble, but that would be disadvantageous because then he wouldn't be able to help the others if they got in trouble too.

And there was no way he'd be able to convince Kurt to stay in a hotel somewhere. He couldn't even convince _himself_. The hallucinations were better to control, but the paranoia of getting harmed by them was still there. Even if Kurt agreed to stay away from the invasion, the president had interest in him, which meant she could find him while they were off destroying her lab and…and no one knew how far she'd go if she managed to find Kurt.

Probably do experiments like the torturous ones they forced on April…

The thought of the blonde woman had Finn thinking about Mr. Schue again. Mr. Schue and his words of encouragement, support, and shoulder to cry on. He'd been the best teacher Finn ever had, and now with all these revelations he felt dirty.

He stared at his lap. Shapely legs peeking out of his coat. He needed answers. Needed to find a way to do this without tossing Kurt in harm's way. He needed…

Shit, he needed a lot of things…

…

They were all sent off to the hospitals for treatments of seizure. Rachel could faintly see the nurses rush in and out, doctors flashing lights in her eyes, and poking her here and there. They were all talking to each other, but she could only hear heavy muffling, like she was underwater.

It wasn't long before she slipped out of consciousness and dreamt of space and floating by billions of planets of all shapes and sizes. At one point she came across a young girl her age who looked a lot like a more ethereal Suzy Pepper. When she resurfaced, the place was a great deal quieter, and a lot darker.

And colder.

The bed she was lying on was no longer cushiony, it was cold and flat, and made of steel. Straining open her eyes she found herself looking not at the ceiling, but at the deep shadows of a bed sheet thrown over her face.

Blinking the sleep from her eyes, she weakly lifted her hands and sluggishly pulled off the sheet. The place was still dark – gray and somber. Nothing like how a hospital room should be. It reminded her of underground surgery rooms where the psychopath comes in to open up their victims. Not having a head to think about that, Rachel pushed herself up in a sitting position. Shallow breaths escaping dried and chapped lips. Where the hell was she?

Her whole body felt heavy, begging for more sleep, but she remained upright and looked around her.

She was in a patient's gown. Her feet were bare and gray save for a single tag tied around a toe.

A chill ran up her spine. More slowly, she looked around the room, her heart hammering in her chest.

There were other steel tables lining up the large room just like the one she was lying on, all occupied by…by _bodies_. Bodies covered in sheets with only their bare feet and tags to identify them.

Oh my god.

She was…

She'd been…

NO!

A woman bustled into the deadly silent room holding a clipboard, momentarily interrupting Rachel's growing panic. The nurse took one look at Rachel.

And screamed.

…

Finn no longer had the urge to puke. It didn't stop him from being nervous though, so he gave up and decided to go for a walk to get over his anxiety. He was reaching the end of the passenger car when Kurt caught up with him. Not many people were at this end of the train, so it was easier for them to talk.

"Are you okay?" Kurt whispered, looking from above his sunglasses. "You look like you're ready to run a marathon."

"I'm nervous," Finn muttered shortly, feeling really weird that along with his disguise, he also sounded a lot like Ms. Holiday.

"I am too…" Kurt looked over his shoulder, the few passengers in the carriage paid them no mind, but there was this one creepy old guy who kept throwing Finn appreciative looks.

Gross.

Turning back to Finn, Kurt looked up at the sign that said 'Staff Only'. From the dark shadow coming from the window of the next car, it wasn't easy to tell if there was anyone in there, but it was clear that Finn needed some time away from everyone else so he could properly freak out.

"Come on," he grabbed the door and pushed it open, taking Finn's hand and pulling him into the what was clearly the baggage car. For a brief few seconds the noise of the train running filled their ears, the cold winds of winter cutting through them. Stepping into the dark car, the noise was quickly snuffed out like a switch. The only sound coming from stored trunks creaking and crunching every which way the train went.

Kurt looked down at Finn's hand, it had morphed from small and soft to large and calloused. He changed back to himself.

"Sorry," the taller boy muttered, "I'm really…nervous," he looked down at himself. He was back in his casual male attire, but his sunglasses remained, which he took off with in annoyance. It was dark enough in the car, he didn't need more shades to fuck him up. Kurt repeated the gesture and also peeled off his mask.

"No one seems to be here," Kurt said, looking around the stuffed room. There was no sign of train staff on their break, at least, and who would want to be here on break anyway? They were probably hanging out at the dining car. Tugging his stepbrother further in, they nestled into a corner where they couldn't be seen through the door. Immediately, Finn wrapped his arms around Kurt, his body trembling.

"We're going into a trap," he said into Kurt's shirt.

"You have ten plus powers in your arsenal," Kurt ran a hand up and down Finn's back, "even if they try getting us with their army you can easily copy their abilities and use it against them."

"It's not just…" Finn looked up at his lover sadly, "dude, Mr. Schue's Laurence! He _put_ me in Apate. He…he's been _lying_ to us!"

"We'll deal with him later, okay?" Kurt kissed him softly, a palm on his cheek, "what we need to focus on is getting Mecredes out, and Blaine, and Quinn – we can't leave them alone out there."

"But the police – "

"Are in chaos," it was true. Even the news media was scrambling to figure out what was happening around them. The angry mob of parents weren't making things better either. Already there'd been reports of twenty deaths and hundreds injured in riots. The whole country had turned into a war zone and no one could figure out what to do. There was no organization, no real method of order, just _pure chaos_. And Kurt  hoped – he _prayed –_ that their parents were safe somewhere from all the bloodshed. "No one's going to help us for months and by then it may be too late."

"What if…" Finn looked at Kurt pleadingly, "what if I go into the Network? Get them to calm down…then – "

"No," Kurt ground out firmly, Finn bit his lip. He buried his fingers in the forest of red hair. Hair he couldn't wait to see back to its natural color again. "You've done enough – the suicide rating's dropped, they heard you, Finn, you can't go back in there again."

"But what if we don't get out of Babylon?" Finn said quietly, his fingers tightening over Kurt's shirt. "I know I promised you…but I really don't want to go there anymore!" He shook his head roughly, ducking his head, "I _just_ started something with you, Kurt. I don't want…" he chocked, "I don't want it to end. That night at the motel…I…I want more nights like that. More times where all we have to wonder is what movie to watch or whether we should go out for dinner…" He stopped suddenly, his eyes glistening. " _I don't want to be immortal!_ "

Kurt stared at him.

Was that what Finn was worried about?

…Well, considering the dangers, Finn was more likely to come out of Babylon alive than him. But they didn't know how bad things were going to be when they got there. The president invited them over. She was keeping their friends hostage, and they had no one but themselves to rely on to save them. She said she wanted to talk and he did want to talk. He needed answers. Most of all, he wanted a cure. Something to fix all the harm Apate had done. Finn had been all about this until now, and only because…

He had something more precious to lose.

A fuzzy feeling tickled in Kurt's stomach. He was touched. He understood. More than understood, he'd been feeling the same ever since they ran away from Lima. Ever since Finn was taken from him.

So yeah, Finn might come out unscathed, but he…

He might die.

This hollow cold feeling. Was this what Finn was going through before Sunshine gave him hope? Kurt didn't have any abilities. He was the weakest link in the group. He didn't know how to fight. He had no bullet proof vest, or magical healing abilities. All he had was wit and a sensible taste for clothes. He was useless in this mission…

But there was no way he was letting Finn go off without him.

"It's okay," he found himself say, making the distraught boy look at him. "It's okay, Finn." He kissed him, pouring his soul into the other teen with everything he had. Finn clutched him, pulling him closer and kissing back just as fervently.

Was this it?

Was this going to be the last time they could be like this?

In a cold baggage car with barely any light, and nothing soft to sit on?

"I-I'm afraid of you," Finn let slip as they parted, their breaths catching each other in vapors. Kurt stared at him, "I saw you in the Network and…I…"

"You're scared of me?" Kurt whispered, not sure if he should feel hurt.

"I'm scared of what you could become," Finn mumbled, pressing his forehead against Kurt's. "If you die. I don't know what'll happen."

That part he understood. He gave him a few more kisses. "You won't lose me."

Finn nuzzled his neck, resting there for a while. He seemed more relaxed now, and Kurt just held him, wondering what Finn had seen to make him feel any fear of him. He wanted to ask, but with the taller teen finally calm, he didn't want to ruin it.

"Kurt," Finn spoke up, his voice tickling his ear.

"Hm?" he reached up and pet his hair.

"Don't destroy the world." Kurt's hand stilled. "Promise?"

_What!?_

Where had that come from? "I-I promise," he frowned.

…

When she woke up, she hadn't been aware that months had passed without her knowing until she got ahold of a newspaper. Already she was panicking after finding herself in a motel room with a convulsing kid on the floor. Things were further fucking her up now that she was in an uncharacteristically loud hospital with patients rolling in every other second. Half of them looked like EMT's themselves.

She'd been pinching herself ever since the motel, hoping this was all some bizarre nightmare. When did war occur without her knowing?

Most of all, who the hell was the druggie kid who'd been with her when she woke up?

Terri knew enough of herself to know she was kind of stuck at sixteen while everyone else around her grew up. But she knew – by now at least – right from wrong, and leaving behind the boy to get help of her own didn't swim well in her head so she called an ambulance and got him to the hospital.

He had no ID on him, and he was in no state to talk. The only reason Terri didn't leave his side was because she wanted answers, and those appeared to be found in the near comatose boy she helped to rescue.

Then, of course, the doctors went to work on her.

"You don't seem to have any signs of a concussion or brain damage," one of them said with a troubled look, "it's possible a kid might have used some kind of mind wiping ability."

"A…a what?" Terri blinked. Did she hear wrong just now?

He eyed her strangely, "how far back can you remember?"

How far back?

The last thing she remembered she was supposed to be in Florida, and according to the present date, that was about…half a year ago.

She wanted to cry.

Before she could answer, cries of alarm came from the boy's bed. Both adults rushed over to see what happened and found nurses scrambling away, yelling about something changing. Once Terri was close enough, she saw that everything around the blond boy was morphing into different kinds of things as if they were alive. The bed became a cot, then a royal bed, then a pull out sofa in the span of ten seconds. Papers were flying around, folding and unfolding themselves to various origami figures. The boy was awake, clutching his head with one hand, and tugging at the needle stuck in his arm with the other.

"Oh my god…" she gasped, knees giving out. The doctor beside her started yelling out orders, not at all shocked at the phenomena happening in front of him.

What the hell had been going on while she was gone!?

…

"What's going on?" Kurt murmured against, Finn's ear, pulling back to look him in the eye, "one minute you're scared for me, the next you're scared _of_ me."

Finn bit his lip and lowered his gaze. "It's just a feeling. In the Network it's like outer space, but with a million planets closer to each other. I…I saw everyone – all our friends. Your planet was huge and black with a chain and everything."

"How can you know it was me?"

"I just know," Finn shrugged helplessly. "I could feel it was you. But, now I feel like that chain is broken and…" he felt like a child. "I feel like something bad is gonna happen."

Kurt didn't reply immediately. It seemed that coming back from the Network made Finn more sensitive to him. Maybe even more attached. But a chain? Big planet? What was he _talking_ about?

"Can't you stay behind while we invade Babylon?" Finn muttered, keeping his eyes averted.

"I'm not letting you go in there without me," Kurt said firmly. Finn slumped his shoulders in defeat. "Don't worry about me," he softened, "I may not have any superpowers, but I can take care of myself."

Finn looked at him, torn and on the verge of another freak out. Kurt distracted him by pulling him into a kiss. One they both melted into. For a few moments they were in heaven again.

Then Finn's worries returned and he clutched on the front of Kurt's sweater.

He couldn't lose him.

_He couldn't lose him_.

…

They entered New York through a clustered traffic way out of rush hour. Some cars had crashed here and there, people running past them with weapons of every kind. One even had a very convincing replica of a keyblade. Matt had gawked at it in shock.

"What the hell's going on with these people?" April grumbled, driving at an ant's pace through the traffic. The mob had frightened Laurence into reverting back to Schue, who was now looking out the window warily. Probably for the best since Laurence was currently on everyone's hit list.

"When the hypnotism broke I figured people would be angry, but not this angry," Matt jolted back when someone wacked at the door beside him. "It's like they're under a new spell."

"I…think I know why…" Schuester spoke up, uncertainty written all over his face. The two looked at him in surprise. "I'm starting to…get it I guess," he shook his head. "I still can't believe I did all those horrible things. I didn't even know I was capable – "

"You have dissociative identity disorder," Matt cut in, "on an epic scale. We'll talk about guilt later, get to the point."

"Right," the Spanish teacher took a deep breath. "The other me…Laurence. He's freaking out as badly as I am. That's why the…hypnotism? It's off. Well, off as in haywire, and…oh god, I can't believe this is happening!" he buried his face in his hands in shame.

"Haywire?" Matt looked at the angry mob outside, "so now people are stuck on anger?"

"Probably…"

"Crud."

Someone outside shouted something, and the rest joined along with them. April gripped her steering wheel and huffed impatiently.

"This better be a nightmare. When I wake up, I'm going to stop watching all those action flicks. And zombie movies. Definitely zombie movies."

…

The doctors rushed her upstairs after their initial scare that a dead girl came back to life with no help at all. After everything that'd been occurring, this shouldn't be all that unusual. What made it scary was that this suddenly had them thinking about the real possibility of zombies. They'd seen and heard of patients dying for ten minutes, then come back to life after a shock to the heart or some other miracle.

They never heard of coming back after being dead for almost twenty four hours.

The first thing to do was check to see if there was anything wrong with her. After being out for that long, her body had to have started deteriorating, but nothing came up from their scans. Not even brain damage from lack of oxygen. Rachel Berry looked as if she simply woke up.

Granted, she was still pretty gray and dead looking, but her heart was beating, and she was freaking out just as much as they were.

"Where are my parents!?" she cried, sitting on the bed and gripping the bed sheets with an effort not to go completely ballistic. "They have to be here, they have to know – "

"They're on their way, we've just called them," her nurse, Pamela said quickly, urging for her to calm down. "Now, please, lie down and – "

"I don't want to rest!" Rachel shook her head fervently, "what if I don't wake up? What if – "

"Rachel!"

Her breath hitched as she looked over Pamela's shoulder. Mike was standing by the door, looking just as sickly as her, maybe even more closer to deaths door than she was. His eyes widened and he shouted down the hall for someone. Soon everyone else gathered at the door to gawk at her, their own grief washing away at the sight of their friend.

"Guys!" she wailed.

Not caring for Pamela's orders to keep quiet, what was left of the New Directions rushed in and gathered around her with cries of shock and joy. Always the first to cry, Tina burst into tears and wrapped her arms around Rachel.

"We thought you were dead!" Puck said, his eyes watery, but too stubborn to shed them.

"I was, I mean…I don't know how I came back," Rachel sniffled, "I…" her face scrunched up in failed effort to keep it in, "I'm really glad I'm not dead!"

Brittany joined Tina and hugged her. Her left eye was patched and covered in gauze. A few angry scrapes marked her arms.

Sometimes Rachel had doubts on whether the glee club truly appreciated her as a member of the group, or as a friend. She knew she could get too passionate and say stupid things that could lower their opinions of her. She was a diva, and sometimes that could shine badly and get people to snipe at her for her flaws and her tastes. She endured it last year, and proved herself on stage. If they ever had the slightest liking to her, it was because even they couldn't deny she had talent.

Which was why it felt so good she could cry when she saw how happy they were to see she was alive. Not for keeping the twelfth seat in their choir group, and not for the leverage she gave them against competitors with her voice.

They were happy because _she_ was alive.

The brunette bit her lip. The pain of loneliness – especially after breaking up with Finn – ebbing away little by little by the warmth of her friends huddled around her. Even Santana was shedding a few tears of her own.

"We're glad too," Tina croaked in her ear with emotion.

"Whoa."

Rachel looked up at Puck, but he was gawking at all the medical equipment around him. Equipment currently floating around them. Rachel's eyes widened, the surprise cutting her connection. Everything clattered to the floor, jolting the group. She waited for the migraine to hit her, but nothing came. She was fine.

"You okay?" Mike asked uncertainly, knowing the spectacle had been her doing. Still in shock, she nodded.

"No headaches?" Tina sniffled, pulling away.

"No…" she looked at her friends as if they could come up with answers. They were just as lost as her. Pamela stood far back, trying not to look too stunned. "I'm fine I…" the pain wasn't there. She could use her powers freely now!

Santana wiped her eyes and looked at her cautiously. Rachel had this wild look in her face. "Are you gonna go all Carrie on us?"

"No, I…" her heart thrummed excitedly in her chest. "I don't feel any migraines coming – I can used my powers whenever I want now!"

"That's a good thing?" Puck arched an eyebrow, then shook his head. "No it's not, it's an awesome thing."

"Of course it is!" Rachel exclaimed excitedly, wiping her face, "I can help Finn now! I can…I don't know - do something!"

"We don't even know where he is," Tina frowned. "The news say he might have been seen at Akron, but that was a while ago, he could be anywhere by now."

Rachel's face fell. "But…" she'd been so eager to help him. Feel useful. The small group felt the same. Their faces grim with helplessness. Rachel deflated, lost again.

"You know Finn Hudson?" Pamela spoke up nervously by the door. "Wait…" she looked at Rachel more closely and gasped. "I recognize you now! You're his girlfriend! You said he cheated on you with his brother!"

The brunette opened and closed her mouth wordlessly. This was it. The backlash of that stupid story Laurence forced on the world. Unfortunately, a story that was now true. "Um…" she said smartly.

"Finn's not gay," Puck said instantly, eager to defend his friend. He turned to Rachel, expecting her to set the record straight, but her gawping fish impersonation made him uncertain. "Right?"

"Uh…" she darted her eyes from the nurse to him. "Well…"

The room fell silent. Everyone did a simultaneous jaw drop.

"Holy shit!" Puck breathed.

…

The train came to a total stop and didn't seem to have any inclination of moving anytime soon. Kurt made use of the time by cuddling with Finn. Both needing to comfort each other. If it was going to be their last time, they were going to make use of it. Kurt blocked out any dark futures, any fears that would have him freaking out like Finn.

Somewhere between their making out, and now, he ended up on the taller teen's lap, nestled comfortably there for what felt like ages until the train had stopped. No train crew had barged in to kick them out. So he took it as a sign that they'd never interrupt them. The situation was almost too perfect.

Kurt looked into Finn's tired eyes, fingers running soothing circles in his short hair. He loved how soft and easily the dyed locks passed through his slender digits, just as Finn had opened up that night at Pittsburgh.

"Kurt?" Finn had been watching him just as much. Jealous of his calm composure, and natural instinct to care for him. It should be the other way around. _He_ should be protecting Kurt. _He_ should be holding him and whispering words of reassurance. The other boy looked away from whatever he was thinking about and gave him his attention, his blue eyes heavy with an unspoken idea. Finn lost his voice and shut his eyes when Kurt leaned in and kissed him. Took his bottom lip between his and tugged slowly, pushed forth and fit them together again and again.

His hands landed on Kurt's taut thighs, squeezing and massaging, crawling up to hips, then back down. Burning with the warmth that radiated between them. He grunted with a mixture of surprise and arousal when Kurt bucked his hips into his lap, the tension of his thighs flexing on either side of him with delicious promise.

Finn pulled back to look at him again. He was flushed and kissed, his lips slightly red and his eyes lidded and heavy. He looked…

Gorgeous.

Ready.

Really fucking hot.

Here? Finn wanted to say, the cold and hardwood floors of the baggage car not really setting the tone for epic lovemaking. Kurt didn't seem to care, a small smile on his lips as he dove in and kissed him again, the excitement of what was about to happen clear in his enthusiasm as he pulled Finn closer.

And Finn couldn't argue with that.

He couldn't think about Babylon. Not the president, or the world falling over itself.

What mattered was the now. Kurt in his arms. Kissing him, grinding him, giving him permission to take him like this. In a dark baggage car next to some stranger's luggage.

It was a fantasy neither boy knew they had, but wanted just as bad.

"I don't have…" Finn broke away, letting Kurt tug his sweater off. The cold hitting him like pins and needles. He shivered and held Kurt closer.

"It's okay," Kurt whispered, voice a little husky. "I trust you."

The fire in him burned brighter, urging him to fumble over Kurt's jeans, frantic to get to him and have their bodies connect once more.

He kept his eyes locked only on him. Focused on his glistening lips, his ocean eyes in a storm of love and lust. Pale arms holding him. Thighs clenching around his waist. The searing hotness of Kurt welcoming him tightly into a powerful embrace that had him gasping and seeing stars the more they relieved each other with desperate friction and tossed 'I love you's'.

They kissed and caressed, became lost and then found.

And somewhere in the middle of all their lovemaking the tears they hadn't realized they'd been holding flowed out. Then dried and came back again.

This could be the last time they'd be like this.

Of the two Finn was too aware of this.

He could see it happening from that slim connection he still had on the Network.

Kurt's planet was cracking.

…

When Sam came to his senses, he had one thing in mind. Protect Finn Hudson. It was the last order Laurence gave him, and the blond was determined to see it through. It didn't matter that he was in a hospital surrounded by a bunch of terrified medics. He needed to find out his location, then find a way to reach his charge. For that he needed to…

Sam blinked in surprise, looking around the room as if for the first time. His vision had gone back to normal. Well, freaky normal. The cartoons were still swimming around, but there was organization to it, almost like a computer, but more fun. Reaching out to the sheets he'd been tangled up in, he focused on the dotted lines and thought of origami. Of shapes and animals it could be turned into.

A few gasps fell out of the nurses a cautious distance from him as the sheets came to life and folded itself to form a swan. It moved around and flapped its cloth wings.

There was no haziness, no pain or itch that needed to be scratched. Sam stared at his creation in honest wonder. He was doing this completely sober. The thought of Pollen gave no excitement to him, he was fine!

…What _happened?_

He looked at the medical staff as if they had the answers, but they had long ago become speechless since his episode. There was a gawking woman on the floor some feet from his bed. He recognized her at the true face of Jackie. She was awake now.

This was the woman Laurence seemed to care greatly for.

How strange. There was nothing very significant about her except for being pretty.

"Who are you?" he found himself ask, his throat raspy from screaming.

"T-Terri," she managed to squeak. "How the…" she looked at all the trashed medicine and computers littering the floor. Sam hadn't noticed them, had he done it?

He shook his head. No. He was getting distracted. He needed to follow his orders. He eyed Terri thoughtfully. Laurence said to not lose sight of her. Sam had a mission to take care of though. He didn't know if anyone else would look after the woman, and she seemed the flighty type to run off some place dangerous.

Sam huffed, weighing his options. Finn was trying to find Babylon. He had no idea what kind of crap was going to go down there if he didn't make it in time, so maybe there was still a chance to stop him without any blood being shed. If it went that way, Terri would be perfectly safe with him.

And if things turned sour…

Well. She'd better be good at following his orders.

"Come with me," he hopped out of bed and shook out the swan from the sheets. Under his hands he could feel the fabric obey him as they clung onto more of the bed sheets and pulled together to form a new shape. They wrapped around his torso and furled out in the shape of wings. The threading stiffened and tightened, giving the sheets a plastic and sturdy feel, the edges tough enough to cut.

"Wait, what are you…" one of the nurses brave enough to speak tried to approach him without getting hit by the massive wings, "you haven't fully recuperated, please lie down while – "

"What are you doing?" Terri backed away as Sam leaned over her. She staggered to her feet and meant to run away, but he wrapped his arms around her and the wings took life, propelling them out the window with a resounding shatter of glass. Terri's screams faded off into the skies, away from gawking horrified witnesses.

"You gotta be shittin' me," one of the doctors broke the shocked silence.

They were interrupted by another nurse running into the wrecked room, not bothered at all by the broken window or the gathered group. "Dr. Dowerty! We have a kid turning into animals in the ER!"

The group groaned, following the nurse out. Some blond kid turning bed sheets into wings? That wasn't weird at all. Not during these times.

Right now invading extra-terrestrial populations was at the very bottom of their list of weird crap they had to deal with today.

…

The window to her room had been blocked by the curtains. Rachel would have left it that way if the noise outside hadn't bothered her so much, and it gave her a distraction from the shock everyone in the room was projecting at her. Of course, when she pulled the curtains, she closed them again and blinked her eyes firmly. She had to be seeing things. The brunette took another longer peak. Then shut it again.

Her window overlooked the parking area of the hospital, and a bit of the town beyond it. What would have been a beautiful winter day was marred by thick crowds of people running around screaming, bashing anything they could see with whatever they had in their hands.

"What the hell's going on!?" her voice shook with fear. It looked like the World War III there!

"First tell us about Kurt and Finn!" Puck countered.

"I think my question takes precedence over yours!" she said shrilly, panic rising.

"We don't exactly know," Nurse Pamela was quick to answer before Puck could argue. She pulled Rachel away from the window and motioned her back to bed. "It happened shortly after everyone…" she frowned and shook her head. "I think it's a mass panic. It has to do with Apate and now people are angry. Nothing the police have done will calm them, but…look I have no idea either."

"But my dad's – "

"They're on their way," she reassured her, "they're with a teacher of yours. Beiste?"

"Yeah, she's keeping our parents safe for some reason," Mike pitched in.

Rachel visibly relaxed at this bit of good news. She wouldn't know what to do if she lost her parents. She could imagine how devastated they were when they learned she 'died'. Rachel bit her lip. She really wanted her parents right now.

"Dude," Puck crossed his arms gruffly, "is it true? Are Finn and Kurt…" he made vulgar gestures with his hands. Rachel threw him a glare.

"We broke up," she said shortly.

"When?" he threw his hands up while everyone else was stuck between looking both surprised and not surprised. In all honesty, they were more focused on their own problems than the personal lives of Rachel and Finn.

"In…a dream…" she mumbled, knowing how stupid it sounded.

"Uh…" Tina was giving her an odd look. "A dream…"

Before Rachel could snap a retort or defend herself a scream down the hall jolted them. From the doorway they could see a bunch of nurses running away from whatever was throwing equipment at them. Rachel shrank in her bed and almost willed the door to shut if Pamela hadn't grabbed her arm tightly, her face white with fear.

"I know this is asking a lot," she said in a tiny voice, "you're all kids and…security's really getting bad, but…you can move things with your mind right? So can…can you help us?"

Rachel looked at the woman with wide eyes. "Help?"

"Please?"

Before she could answer, Santana clucked her tongue and marched over to the door where the chaos was still going. Snatching a flying pair of scissors from the air, she flung it with great force back at the unseen attack. A grunt followed a second later along with a heavy thud and the crash of random medical tech and tools hitting the ground. Santana returned to the room, scratching angrily at a set of hives that sprouted from her throwing arm.

"Sorry," she clipped, "that kid was annoying me."

Rachel gaped at her, "you didn't…"

Santana rolled her eyes. "I didn't _kill_ him." Rachel still stared at her. "I gave him a concussion. I think."

Everyone opened and closed their mouths, not quite knowing what to say. As happy as Pamela was that the girl stopped the kid, she didn't mean for it to happen so violently. She turned back to Rachel, meaning to tell her something she wasn't quite sure what when her co-worker ran in, breathless and determined.

"Hey. Did you do that?" he demanded, gaping at Santana.

The Latina squared her shoulders. "What's it to you?"

"What's your power?"

Santana's eyes darted to her friends, then to the man. "They called it Precision…"

"Precision," he repeated under his breath distractedly. "Do you think…" he looked at the rest of the group, his eyes wild with a crazy and desperate idea.

Rachel got it. She turned to the others and could see the same idea rolling in their heads. She wouldn't be helping Finn find what he was looking for. But this was close enough. She was done with waiting, done with Pollen, done with being scared. And if she was reading her friends right, the feeling was mutual.

"We need a plan," she said grimly.

For once they didn't roll their eyes. This wasn't another glee meeting, or choir competition. They were going to listen to her.

…

The train made its final stop at Penn Station New York. The couple spent the whole ride lying in the baggage car. Unwilling to let the other go. It was an express train, so they didn't have to worry about the side doors opening at local stops. In the end no staff members entered the car, so they were never caught, which was ridiculously lucky since the cold of winter kept the smell of sex at bay, but not enough for it to be invisible. Already Finn could tell that the cold was starting to hit Kurt badly. He developed a light cough and had to borrow his sweater to keep warm.

The perfect hours like a protective bubble that kept the rest of the world away was now expiring. The announcement called out their final stop, they reluctantly stood up and shared a few lasting kisses before returning to the next car. It was empty now, so there was no one to give them odd looks.

Kurt coughed dryly, pulling on his anti-germ mask and tugging on his beanie. Worriedly, Finn pressed the back of his hand against his forehead. He wasn't running a fever, but it did nothing to stop his concern.

"It's just a little cold," Kurt assured him, his eyes warm and crinkling with a smile. "We've been running around a lot, remember? I'll be fine."

"We'll get you cough medicine when we get out," he said anyway, his heart clenching when Kurt laughed softly and shook his head in amusement.

"I suppose soup is somewhere in that head of yours?" he said wryly.

Finn grinned. "Yep."

"Well then – "

The door connecting to the other car burst open suddenly, revealing a miffed Unique. "Where the hell have you two…" she pursed her lips at Finn. "What are you doing out of disguise!" she turned to Kurt angrily, "I had to come up with a million excuses to the train staff about you bein' gone! Are you guys nuts!? Come on!" she whipped around and marched down the next car haughtily, "We need to regroup and get a map," she shook her head and sighed dramatically, "boys!"

The couple blinked after the hurricane that was Unique and tried to stifle their own giggles. It felt like it had been a long time since they had the tension eased out of them so quickly by someone as sassy as Unique. She reminded them strongly of Mercedes.

Shaking his head from the thought of his friend and her current fate, Finn took a deep breath and focused on the image of the woman he was supposed to play. Immediately all the weird sensations of his body transforming rushed over him, and it made him all funny again. He turned to Kurt, pulling on his sunglasses.

"How do I look?" he asked, feeling embarrassingly girly when he pulled a stray curl of blonde hair behind his ear.

"Like a girl," Kurt shrugged.

"A cute girl or – "

"A girl," Kurt laughed, then coughed harshly. Finn's face fell. "I'm fine. Really."

Unique called out to them, and they rushed over in time to join the crowd that gathered around the exiting doors. Finn spotted the others amongst the group. They gave him curt nods and followed everyone else out onto the dark platform. The station was inside a building, but the gates that led to the outside world still brought in the cold, so he urged Kurt to put on his gloves.

"Yes, mother," he sighed, pulling them out of his pocket. Satisfied with at least this, Finn took his gloved hand as they walked out with the milling travelers.

"Where do we go first?" Kitty asked from behind Finn as they stepped onto the escalator.

"We get a map," Jake said dully, his voice too young for the old man he was portraying.

"No shit, I meant after," Kitty huffed, squirming behind Finn so she could talk to Jake properly, "I'm hungry."

"You're always hungry."

"Excuse me? Are you calling me _fat?_ "

The couple ignored them as they continued to bicker. It had been a non-stop thing for the younger group the longer they got to know them. It reminded them of how they used to be before Apate ruined everything. Santana would run her mouth, Mercedes always had something to say, for some reason Kurt would get in the middle of things. It was nuts. But it was a good nuts because all that bickering brought them together. United them like a family.

That was why they couldn't leave their friends in Babylon. They were family, and there was no way they'd abandon each other.

It put a small smile on Finn's face, and a bit of confidence in him as they stepped out to a brighter station. It wasn't Grand Central, but it was just as pretty with its pale, beige flooring, and extensive strip of fast food shops. On their far left was a grittier area with signs identifying it as the subway and its lines. On the other end, it was the same, but at a corner. Opposite from the restaurants was a wider area where people could buy tickets and board trains.

The place was _packed_. Not only with travelers, but police officers.

The group tried not to get too entranced by their new surroundings. The officers wandering around paid them no attention, not even the army guys that were stationed by doors. Every now and then they would pop up with leashed dogs that were not at all interested in passerby. Every ten minutes an announcement would tell them not to pet the dogs, or to report suspicious behavior. The words 'see something, say something' echoing throughout the station.

"Have you seen the news about that institution?"

Finn perked up at the mention of this and tried not to look too obvious as a pair of young women babbled eagerly beside him. He could feel Unique and the others listening in as well. Quiet and solemn.

"Yeah, there've been raids popping up everywhere. Everyone's gone _nuts_."

"I'm thinking of going to Canada. I feel like New York's gonna shit itself too. I have some money saved up..."

He glanced at the others, their expressions grim. The raids. Every news station was showing footage of it. He'd seen it while waiting for the train at Harrisburg, and it looked like it hadn't let up at all since the painfully long train ride to New York. Once again the urge to do something hit him. He had the power to go in the Network and stop all this anger. It would only take a few seconds. He succeeded with the suicide rates, maybe he could succeed again here.

"Don't even think about it," Unique said in a low tone so no one could hear them. "Kurt would kill you." Finn grimaced, regretting ever telling them that the little voice they heard in their heads a few days ago had been him. Now they knew about the Network and how badly it affected Kurt. "Let's get food first."

They passed by the basement entrance of Kmart, contemplating a place to eat. From far down they even spotted a Fridays, and the smell of popcorn was really making their stomachs growl. Finn turned to Kurt about to suggest a pizza in an effort not to think about the raids, but he was gone.

Looking behind him, his earlier worry for his stepbrother rising, he sagged in relief when he found him a few paces back by the Kmart. He was staring at the Long Island Rail Road announcement board. His body still, and his eyes wide.

"Kurt?" he put a hand on his shoulder. He looked shaken. As if he just saw a ghost. Behind him he could hear Unique gasp, and Ryder swear. They all were staring at the board too. Finn followed their gazes and…

It took him a while to take in.

Then his knees started shaking.

In bright green letters between Huntington and Messapequa Park was the name of the place that had eluded them since the escape.

Babylon.


	25. Plans are Set in Motion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to RoseRosa for being so patient and editing the rest of this story T.T you've been a real help keeping me on this and seeing it to the end! It's Finally over! WOOT!

The hospital was quickly growing overcrowded. With patients from Apate flocking in to get treated for Pollen addiction and seizures, the local clinics were already stuffed. Now in addition to that, the raids spreading out throughout the country were producing more people in need of medical care. A whole day hadn’t passed since Rachel came back from the dead and already the casualties were rising.

She stood in her room with the others, watching the news in silence save for the muffled roar of the mob outside.

The reporter was barely able to talk to the camera as she ran down a street towards a safer distance from the angry crowds jeering at her or anyone they deemed the enemy. She had been talking frantically about the increase in violence, the confusion of Apate’s true intentions and how all of its patients in the Lima location had gone through a simultaneous seizure. From the viewer’s point of view, it looked as though they were watching a movie of a war torn town in the middle of a bloody battle.

Except it was more horrifying because it was real.

They watched as the blonde reporter kept ducking random objects thrown her way. Her professionalism slowly falling apart as it was replaced by fear then anger until finally…

She jumped into the fray herself.

The camera jostled. Fell to the ground and filmed the cameraman chasing after her, quickly lost in the horde. The small group watching had a brief glance of a burly man getting decapitated before the footage was cut back to the news headquarters. The rattled anchorman stumbled over his words to his viewers.

“…Stay indoors and away from the windows. We’re going to try and…and get contact back to Lyla Taylor…”

Rachel felt pain on her face and realized her hand over her mouth had tightened up in horror. A map of the U.S. was put up with red blotches dotting the country like a weather report. The largest one was on Ohio, the others a range from blood orange to orange. Oddly, the only place remaining green was New York. No raids had reached the state yet.

“So…” Puck broke the tense silence, “how are we stopping all of this?”

Rachel looked away from the television with a shudder. “We need a team of volunteers. Preferably people who don’t experience side effects when they use their abilities.” 

“Okay. Then what?” Tina asked softly from beside Mike, their hands clasped.

Rachel hesitated. It was nice that she was being heard for once without having to scream for it, but this was out of her element. “We…stop the fights,” she said lamely.

“Yeah, we got that, but what do we do if we get attacked?” Santana griped. The hives from earlier had disappeared. A reaction to whenever she used her ability. Still, her nails were digging into her skin with a kind of anxiety that begged to be cured. The more Rachel observed her friends, the more she realized they were just as twitchy and on edge.

They wanted Pollen.

Rachel clenched her jaw. She didn’t have that itching need anymore. It probably had to do with her dying and everything. Whatever it was she was glad she wasn’t addicted anymore, but it hurt to see her friends like this. To see them yearning for the drug that sent them to heaven for a few hours. 

They needed a distraction. Stopping the massacre outside would be more than enough to keep them off the thought of Pollen. They just needed to organize themselves. Pair up those who worked well together and could use their abilities for good rather than fuel the destruction.

“Hello?”

The group looked over to a scrawny boy by the door. Several other kids were standing behind him, looking over his shoulder with curiosity and trepidation. Rachel perked up. She recalled passing by him a couple of times at Apate. “Yes?”

“My name’s Alan, and…” he awkwardly waved behind himself to the other kids, “we heard what you guys are gonna do.” Rachel looked to the others with surprise. News traveled fast. “We want in.”

…

Their disguises were working relatively well, no one at the station paid any attention to them, nor did the police stop them for questioning. As a result they ended up dining at the Friday’s restaurant with no problems. People were more concerned with leaving the country than they were looking out for children among them. The women Finn overheard earlier weren’t the only ones making plans to leave, there were a lot of travelers toting hefty suitcases. Their waitress even told them their food would be coming in a little late due to short staff.

It was enough time to come up with a plan. Hopefully a solid one.

Getting tickets and boarding the train was simple enough, but Finn’s mind was elsewhere. Kurt was developing an insistent dry cough. He had soup at the restaurant, and he took some DayQuil pills and cough drops. Unfortunately, it was becoming clearer that his cold was worsening with every second.

“I’ll be fine,” Kurt whispered. He was losing his voice.

He wasn’t ‘fine’ and it made Finn more agitated. They shouldn’t have done it on the train. The car was too cold, they were sweaty and naked – those were all sure fire ways to get sick. Finn was positive if he jumped into the Network for a little bit he could fix the problem just as he had with the blue planet. He just needed to get it to stop cracking and Kurt would be better again.

“It’s too risky for just a cold,” Kurt shook his head, “you were in there for a short time, but in reality three days passed. You’re not going in there again.” And Finn was forced to sit back and hold him as he shivered in his arms despite the extra layers on him, sniffling and coughing like a defenseless child.

For now, as the train took them through the tunnel to Long Island, all Finn could hope for was their plan succeeding.

He stared at the ticket in his grasp. All this running around and Babylon had been in New York the whole time. Freaking New York. What the hell was it about the city that hosted apocalyptic shit? It was almost predictable that Babylon would have to be here because everything happened here. It was kind of anticlimactic. He imagined the place to be an illusion created by Apate to hide their location, but it was real. An actual place people lived in.

He liked his own idea better. It was much cooler than a town nestled in Long Island.

“Hey,” he gently nudged Kurt, getting a quiet ‘hn?’ from the bundled up teen, “wake me up when we get to Babylon.”

Reaching for his arm around Kurt’s shoulders, he pulled back his coat sleeve partially and revealed his bare wrist where the word ‘Sleep: Ella’ was written. He knew how to find him by simply wishing for it once he was dreaming, but he wanted to be extra sure this time.

Kurt huddled closer against him, gloved hands unconsciously clutching on Finn’s coat. “I will,” he murmured. “Good luck.”

…

She’d been dancing between states of consciousness for what she assumed was a few days. The room she was in was windowless with no indicators of the time or day. For all she knew a day may have passed, or several weeks. She didn’t want to linger on that thought and focused instead on her surroundings, trying to gauge once more on whether there was any hope for an escape.

She was in a tube. A strange glass tube inclined at an angle and better fit for a sci-fi thriller. Luckily for her sanity, she wasn’t swimming in green goop, but she was breathing in something sweet that made her lightheaded and too far off to truly panic over the mysterious gas. She was strapped down against the cushioned board behind her, though she had no strength to really move.

Outside of her tiny prison was a grimly lit room with strange machinery and more tubes exactly like hers. Things like alien invasion were running rampant in her head, but still she had no energy to freak out.

There was the occasional man or woman in a white lab coat wandering around. They never approached her, and seemed more preoccupied with their clipboards. She tried getting their attention when she first awoke, but they always ignored her.

Most of the other tubes were empty except for one. In the other a boy, probably only a few years older than her, slumbered. He was too far away for her to get a good look, but from what she could tell, he was in plain white patients’ garments and had deep brown hair. She didn’t recognize him from anywhere, but the scientists, or doctors, or whatever, seemed very interested in him. He woke up once, looking frightened for a second, then angry, then frightened again. 

She wished she could have heard his voice; the glass of her tube was too thick for her to hear anything, but her own ragged breathing.

Apart from the tubes and her distant companion, the rest of the room looked like a setting for a spaceship. Everything was all metal and glass, morbid lighting and exposed pipelines. It made the giant tube in the middle of the room much more menacing in her eyes. There was no one inside, but it stood proudly like a support beam. As if the smaller tubes were batteries to its main source. The dangling oxygen mask inside was the only indicator that it too was meant to hold an occupant.

She was too tired to feel scared, too muddled to piece together no more than scant few thoughts.

All she wanted was to go home.

Wake up and pretend this was all a bad dream.

The boy at the other end woke up again. No one was at his side, but the tube he was in slid down and the straps holding him unraveled and coldly let him fall to the metal floor with what she was sure would be a ‘clang’. She watched in mild wonder as he struggled in a heap. Trembling hands pressed firmly on the floor and wobbly pushing him up with severely weak strength that stubbornly didn’t give up. Minutes or hours probably passed as the boy grasped at whatever was within reach, and pulled himself up to his feet.

He took one step then crumpled to the floor.

A part of her tugged with pain and sympathy. He’d been asleep for a long time, it seemed. Regaining the use of his legs would take a bit of getting used to. But he stood again, with a clenched jaw and determination in his eyes. He braced himself against the very prison that had spit him out, and put one foot forward, and then the other.

Watching the boy walk on gingerly, disappearing behind the massive tube, she wondered idly if she would be freed soon too. She missed exercising her limbs. They were aching to be used.

_“It’s all right, Marley.”_

For the first time since her imprisonment a voice spoke from above her, static lacing it enough for her to know it was from some kind of intercom in the tube. Though it could have also been her imagination…She’d been stuck here for such a long time breathing creepy mystery gas and lamenting her fate. It wouldn’t be a surprise to be imagining voices. She’d been hallucinating little blonde girls already, what were a few voices?

_“You’re safe here. You have a disease. We can cure you.”_

It was a warm voice. The kind of honey sweet that made her think of mothers in a summer lit kitchen with a sunny smile and lemonade. It made her feel safe.

It made her think of her mother.

Her mother who always worried about her

Who wanted the best for her, however much she could offer.

Her mother who held her like a shield against the isolation she felt at school. Who always told her she was the greatest gift she could ever have. Could be so much for the world…

Her eyes started to sting. Memories of her mother flooding in and gripping her with a pain and need to see her again. She wanted her mother so bad. Had to know she was okay. That she didn’t worry her. Had to tell her…tell her…

“Mom…” she whispered brokenly, her voice reverberating in the glass tube. “I-I want my mom…”

_“Darling. You have no mother.”_

…

Ella was not asleep. Though he wasn’t in a dream state, his mind didn’t entirely shut down that world. So when Finn landed in Ella’s dream world it wasn’t really his dream he was in, but his lulled state of mind that could only be considered a Daydream.

Finn hadn’t figured this out at first. He wasn’t in the luscious and lively garden he’d been in last time he met with Ella. The place he was in now was far more realistic. He was back in Youngstown in the backyard of the Sato household. No one was around, and the summer day was pleasant over his winter bitten skin. The yard itself was beautifully kept with its garden and metal rimmed pool. There were several outdoors toys strewn about, mostly for the pool, and an unfinished set up of a volleyball net. It screamed ‘large family’, and screamed of warmth, and happiness, and unity. Something he and Kurt were just at the cusp of grasping with the union of their parents.

It made him sting with jealousy.

This observation lasted for a brief few seconds before he noticed the echoes of voices all around him. They weren’t fully muffled, but not really clear either. Behind the voices was the steady hum of a car engine, and the murmur of a radio news report. Finn had no idea what was going on, and he wondered if maybe he did something wrong.

“Hello?” he called out, spinning around feeling foolish. “Ella? Anyone?”

“Finn.”

He jumped, his heart leaping to his throat. Right in front of him Ella appeared, still dressed and frilled up in that weird bell shaped dress, and with no sign of warning of his sudden appearance.

This time his colors were white and pastel green. And once again, he made it work.

“Uh, hi,” the babbling of the disembodied voices continued, some rising over each other to make a point. He wanted to ask, but he didn’t know how to phrase it. Felt silly about it even.

“I’m daydreaming, Finn,” Ella answered for him anyway. “You’re hearing a conversation my siblings are having in reality. Normally you can’t really visit people’s daydreams because they’re conscious enough to be aware of any intrusions. The most you can do is talk to them through the Network, and even then it’ll feel like they’re thinking to themselves.”

“So I got into your daydream because…”

“I’m a wanderer. Out of the nature of my ability, I will always be linked to the dream state. And as a fellow wanderer, you were able to visit me if I allowed it, which I have,” he shrugged apologetically, “there’s probably more technical terms for this, but I’m not a scientist.” Finn nodded anyway, sort of understanding. “We’re on our way to Lima,” Ella supplied when silence fell over them. “Turned back from Connecticut as soon as we heard Laurence’s hold was gone.” A smile broke through his glistening lips, relieved but tired. “We’re finally going to reunite with Peter.”

“That’s…great.” And it was great, but the jealous stab from earlier twisted more inside him. He wanted to reunite with his family too. He was aching something fierce to finally see his mother again. “I’m happy for you. I…I am.”

The darker boy nodded sympathetically, seeing Finn’s pain. “What do you need?” he asked knowingly, “you didn’t come here by accident, you’ve gotten better control of your ability since meeting me.”

“Yeah,” he nodded to himself, remembering his original mission. “We found Babylon. I think. Bumped into a group of kids who’ll help us out. We have a plan, but we need a hand. There’s too much we don’t know about Babylon’s defenses. Kurt’s sick and…I need to keep him safe.”

“Kurt,” his brow wrinkled with concern. “If he’s sick you should leave him somewhere safe, not bring him to –,”

“He doesn’t want to,” Finn said darkly, “I’m worried. His planet – from the Network – it’s cracking. What do I do? I mean, if I go in and stop it I’ll save him, but I don’t know how much time will pass when I do. I…”

Ella placed a hand on his shoulder, quietly silencing him. It fell heavy on his shoulder, but reassuring, and made him feel a little less hysterical. “I have more time than you do. I will go. For now, tell me what else you need.”

Finn took a shaky breath, “You said you couldn’t last more than ten seconds in there.”

Ella gave him a quirk to his lips, “ten seconds should be more than enough. My family will be there to help through the pain. I’ll be fine. Now…”

Sighing, the taller boy nodded and gathered his thoughts. “I need a quick exit. More than one. And…” he shook his head. This was the giant weak point of the plan, and he still had no idea how Kurt managed to conquer it. The boy in question didn’t know either. “How do you stop hypnosis?”

…

They gathered on the roof which overlooked Lima in a grim and unreal picture. It looked like an apocalyptic scene of a zombie invasion. Fire could be seen on scattered buildings, the distant incessant popping of guns firing and sirens wailing. Crowds of people below pummeled together in rage, screaming and grunting, bloodied and killing each other in their blind fury.

Rachel looked to the skies where helicopters were flying overhead. Some from news channels, others from the military. She would have been running for cover if she didn’t know they’d been informed that they weren’t going to target her. For now they weren’t going to target anyone unless they proved dangerous enough to shoot down.

A grudging agreement and it was a hard one to keep when down below everyone was a target.

The military were willing to give her a chance, so she was going to take it. Turning back to the chaos, she faced the small group of kids cleared from their check-ups and eager to help.

“Um…” she said eloquently. This pictured so much better in her head when she was safe in her room. She wasn’t up for making battle plans, she was a performer! What the hell was she thinking? “Okay…does anyone have any…ideas?” she squirmed self-consciously as the group of bright eyed kids stared back at her blankly.

“We’ll take it like a video game,” Puck grunted beside her, his arms tightly crossed and trying hard not to look like the pollen addict that he was. Rachel looked at him with relief and a bit of shame for her lack of combat knowledge. “Split into groups – each needs a healer, flyer, and fighter. Focus on one location and contain it. No killing and try not to cause too much damage.”

Okay, that was simple. Even she could have thought of that.

But.

It was surprising to see Puck so serious. The situation called for it, but he never struck her as the leading type, nor one to make plans like he was now. Normally he’d take this as a challenge to his strength and jump in guns blazing. Either it was the video game skills talking, or she just never gave him that much credit.

She straightened up with an embarrassed flush when he spared her a glance.

“Telekinetic people, up front.”

Huh? What? She whipped her head back and forth as three boys and one girl stepped forward uncertainly, joining her and looking just as twitchy as Puck and the others.

He nodded to the horde below. “Think you can take away their weapons?”

She looked down and really saw, with some doubt, exactly how many weapons the crowd was putting to use. By herself she’d probably manage about twenty every few minutes, and that was only a fraction of the bigger picture. She hoped the other telekinetics were stage three; otherwise this was going to take a long time.

Too long to prevent any further deaths.

“We can do it,” one of the boys said firmly. “I’m stage two. But it can be done.”

“Cool,” Puck nodded curtly, a bead of sweat running down the side of his face. It occurred to Rachel just now, or really should have occurred to her since they came up on the roof, that Puck was just in thin pants and a t-shirt on a bitter winter evening. She herself was in a winter coat borrowed from a nurse. Walking outside reminded her just how cold it was, and yet standing by Puck, she could feel the heat radiating off him in a thick and steady aura. Despite his crossed arms, the boy wasn’t cold at all. The thin layer of snow around him had melted to show the dark gravel underneath.

Rachel was very reluctant to leave him as she and the other telekinetics split off to take a section of the roof.

The chaos continued, ignorant of the children above them. She could see the flashes of police cars surrounding the hospital, but though the cops did their best to quell the fight, they were only adding to the destruction as well. Not even the hoses they’d been using worked.

She reached a corner of the roof, by the entrance where a few army men were standing with their rifles by their side. They looked at her warily, which she returned with a straightened back and set jaw, feeling none of the confidence she was attempting to show.

Giving her attention to the mob, she kept a safe distance from the edge and held her hands out. Focusing still took a bit of strain, but it wasn’t as bad as last time, and even less of a hassle now that she was apparently at stage three. Back then she’d been looking for something she couldn’t see, was far away, and couldn’t be easily moved unless she wanted to bash Laurence’s head in. Here it was less specific.

At least she could _see_ her target.

Cries of confusion sang out from below as one by one bats and crowbars were lifted from tightly grasped hands and sailing up to the sky. Across the building, Rachel could see the other kids using their talent from their end. The boy who spoke up earlier had fallen to his knees, but his focus hadn’t wavered.

Gathering her stolen weapons, Rachel dumped them in a pile beside her, and continued with more weapons, nearly taking a woman who stubbornly held on to her broomstick. The brunette looked back to the spot the other kids were waiting, wondering what else would happen.

Puck was throwing his arms out in different directions, shouting something. Then, as if acting in unison, few of the flyers in the group gathered a teammate and took off in a dive to the angry mob.

Once everyone dissipated with only Puck on the roof – Rachel sucked in a breath – his whole body caught fire.

‘Pryokinetic. Pyrokinetic,’ she told herself, ‘he’s okay he’s just….on fire. He’s okay!’

And he was. She thought with growing relief. His posture showed no distress.

Then he jumped off of the roof.

…

It was starting to snow again. Soft tufts lighting up the night sky. They had entered Long Island a few minutes ago. Finn was still asleep, his head was resting heavily on his shoulder, and every now and then a light snore would emit from him. It was a good sign, Kurt decided. Good as in he wasn’t in the Network, because when he was he looked almost dead, and that was something Kurt didn’t want to relive again.

The train was set up in two sides, one with three seats, and the other with two. They were in the three seat row with Nurse Unique joining them. A few seats down, Ryder and Jake were together dressed as old men, their hands clasped and staring out the window with eyes sober and silent. Kitty was next to them looking perfectly comfortable in her winter coat and buried in a trashy tabloid magazine.

They were in their final year of middle school, Kurt remembered. They didn’t come from the same school – they ran into each other after the quarantines, but they shared a bond he used to share with New Directions before he transferred.

He stared at Jake and Ryder’s clasped hands. They rarely showed affection, but when they did, it was casual and well-trodden. Their actions were neither ashamed, nor pointed. It almost seemed like second nature to them, and when Kurt looked – really looked – he could see the respect and care they had for each other.

And they expressed it so nonchalantly that they barely got any looks from outsiders. They blended in so well. Then again that could also be due to their disguises, only a real asshole would mess with old geezers.

How long had they been together, Kurt wondered, to be at that point? How long would it take for him and Finn to reach that point?

“A week,” Unique spoke up, never looking away from her TIME magazine. “They’ve been together for a week.”

“A week?” he raised his eyebrows. He and Finn had been together only a few days. Jake and Ryder looked like they’d been together far longer than that.

“Mhm,” she nodded, a playful smirk on her lips, “they used to fight over Marley, but in the end they got together instead. It’s gonna be hella awkward when they see her again, she was drooling over Jake.”

Oh, that really would be.

It was going to be awkward seeing Rachel after all of this, too. That is if they survived. Hell, right now he was looking _forward_ to seeing her slap the crap out of him.

“Are you feeling any better?” Unique murmured, concern underlining the casually thrown question.

Kurt gave a slight nod, the cough drops and medicine helped soothe his scratchy throat, and it was getting easier to breathe through his nose, but he was still very much tired. He felt weak, really and just a bit lightheaded.

“The DayQuil’s helping,” he said finally.

When they reached the airport he watched Ryder get up and exit the train. But not before Ryder gave Jake a short, but lingering kiss that left a few onlookers either squeamish or fluttery at the blatant display of love.

Finn stirred against him, but otherwise didn’t wake up.

…

She was calling him. Woke him up from his slumber and freed him so he could join her.

His master.

The only person in the world to ever care for him…

He’d been asleep for so long it was a challenge to regain control over his limbs. They creaked and they screamed, protesting any motion, but he pushed on. Kept putting one foot ahead of the other because…because she needed him now. He completed the first part of her plan, now they had to continue with the next phase. That had to be why she woke him up.

They were coming, walking right into their open arms.

It almost put a smile to his haggard sleep drawn face. A pleasant thought to hang on as he made his way through the empty halls of his home. There were no doctors milling about, no sign of life other than the girl he left behind in the test room. All sure signs that today was no ordinary day. They had guests to welcome.

Well… _a_ guest. One of them had already done their part.

He reached the end of the hall to stairs that climbed up to the level above. He’d set foot on the first step when he saw her come down. She was dressed perfectly in her black suit with a white lab coat flowing around her curvy form. His breath caught in his throat as her deep intense eyes settled on him and a smile curled her red lips.

“Pierrot,” she greeted, her voice as soft as a breeze. She placed a tender hand to his cheek, completely capturing him under her spell, “they’re coming.”

He swallowed audibly, shivering on the spot. “Did…did I do okay?”

A melodic chuckle rumbled in her pale throat. “Stupendous, honey. More than I could have asked for.” She pulled him into a hug. He became limp in her strong arms, consumed by her perfume. He did well then. Better than she expected of him! His eyes glistened with happiness. 

But he had to ask.

He’d been burning to ask.

“Why do you…do you want them together?”

“Hmm…” she pulled away to look him in the eye, they were filled with a warmth and knowledge he couldn’t fathom, and it was both beautiful and frightening. They were the eyes of someone who knew too much. “You really want to know, darling?”

He nodded mutely.

Letting out a tiny breath, she smiled sadly. “There’s so much evil in this world. So much that people ignore it and forget that underneath their feet people suffer. What you have done for me is the first step to the recipe needed to remedy that.”

“Recipe?”

“I’ve always wondered about that boy. So insignificant and…stubborn. You solved that puzzle for me. Thank you, dear.”

“But…” she didn’t answer his question.

“He’s a bomb, Pierrot. And I plan to set it off.”

…

_“Now arriving at Babylon. Last stop Babylon.”_

The last remaining passengers stirred to life and stretched, standing and grabbing their luggage with a lazy eagerness to leave the train. Kurt barely moved from his spot. The heaviness of his cold was keeping him still in between a sleeping Finn and a yawning Unique.

They’d been traveling for a long while. Not just the train ride, but everything from Lima to here. No matter how much they rested, their minds hadn’t let go of that excitement. At least not since Pittsburgh. Kurt’s body was begging for respite.

“Finn,” he nudged his brother, “Finn, wake up, we’re here.”

The taller boy mumbled and stirred, protesting softly until he reluctantly opened his eyes and sat up. His hair was spiked up on one side, indents of Kurt’s coat and scarf lining his cheek. Kurt giggled at the sight, the lost look on Finn’s face the bright red cherry on top.

“We’re here?” Finn muttered, rubbing his face. He looked out the window, not seeing much except a quiet station. The evening gloom seeped in enough to make everything somber.

“Did you…” Kurt trailed off. He couldn’t finish his question. They were in Babylon now, they couldn’t talk about their plans out in the open like this. For all they knew Apate had eyes and ears on every corner. They had to be careful. “Did you sleep well?”

“Yeah,” Finn nodded sleepily, taking Kurt’s hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. “I dreamt I was Nightcrawler. It was weird as hell.”

Kurt carefully schooled his features, arching an unimpressed eyebrow, though hope swelled up inside him. “You need to cut back on the comics.”

…

If Sam needed an update of what went on while he was out, he had it now. Flying with his bed sheets morphed into wings, he had a perfect view of the cities passing by underneath him. Point blank, it looked like hell down there.

Everywhere he looked there were thick lines of traffic. People running and screaming, fires igniting and constants sirens shrieking. Of all the times for Sam to finally be lucid again, it had to be now – when he would prefer to be on the pollen express to lala land. Terri wasn’t helping either. Her screaming and panicking had eventually died away to a dead faint, leaving him with no one to talk to.

The only thing he knew right now was to find Finn at Babylon and protect him as Laurence ordered. With no other means of direction, he needed to rely on his abilities which were doing very well under his command. So well that it was like having a computer for a brain.

It did put a strain on his concentration, however. Holding up the wings, and focusing on the arrows pointing for him like a GPS was like writing a novel while solving calculus problems in his head. That alone would have him hovering closer and closer to the ground.

What put a bigger strain on him were the helicopters.

There were dozens of them.

Lighting up the sky with their news channel logos and army brands. One of them tried to shoot him down when they passed by. That of course was when Terri fainted from the shock.

There were many more armed helicopters up ahead the closer he got to New York. He needed to find a safer route to get to Babylon. He’d be no use to Laurence dead, and he had orders to keep Terri safe…

The cartoony arrows fizzled out, newer ones pointing to a different path, but still towards the approaching state.

Setting his jaw, the blond changed course and shot higher into the skies, Terri shivering in his arms. It was winter and freezing this evening. The higher he went, the colder it would get. The blankets wrapped around them wouldn’t do much to keep them warm…

But it was only for a short while. Just for a few minutes.

He was going to complete his orders from Laurence. He’d be damned if he died here!

…

When Marley fell asleep, she dreamt she was floating in space. A space she’d never seen before filled with millions of bubbles the size of planets. Every single one reflecting an image of a world unknown yet so familiar it was on the tip of her tongue. The last time she had a dream like this she woke up to such bubbles popping out in front of her and begging for her attention.

The first time she used her ability.

Now here she was again. Swimming in a black vacuum littered with vibrant bubbles and endless possibilities. With this same dream occurring twice, she felt fear take over just as it had the first time.

Instinctively, she knew that this was a realm too powerful for her to handle. It was too much responsibility for her to shoulder. She used to fancy herself with the idea of picking out her own future in a selection of many futures. Grasp it and make it happen. The very belief people constantly spoke to her about.

_‘Only you can choose from the many paths before you.’_

Every person had this belief ingrained in them since childhood. There was nothing new to it, and yet this power…to literally _choose a future_ was hers. Not just her own future, but everyone else’s. The entire _universe._

That’s too much power for one person.

It was too much for _her._

She wasn’t god; she was barely getting out of middle school! What could she do with an ability that could end all life if she was having a bad day?

The bubbles around her glistened in ignorance, the images flickering like tv screens – motion pictures doing their best to entertain her. She bit her lip and waited for the dream to end. Wake up to her bedroom and hope this was all a freakishly long nightmare and she was just a regular kid at the bottom of the middle school food chain.

If only she could make a future where none of this had ever happened.

But there was nothing she could do. No easy solution.

Just a bunch of bubbles depicting heroes and villains. They showed worlds of people flying around, in danger or being rescued. What had been a strange sight the first time she saw it, was now filling her with growing dread. Even awake she searched constantly for that perfect future. There had to be one bubble that didn’t end so tragically.

But there wasn’t. Every future – every single damn future – died in a mass of destruction and grief.

All because one man lost his lover and let power consume him.

Marley glared at the bubble in front of her with unshed bitter tears, showing a young man coldly looking over a land dark and barren of life. He had no remorse for what he had done. This fear that gripped her with this dream came not only with the heavy responsibility of her abilities. It also told her the responsibility to act. Do what must be done to survive; even if it meant she had to kill…

She’d seen his pictures in the news, heard his kind voice in her head. She knew he wasn’t evil. Not right now.

But one day very soon…

Finn Hudson was going to destroy the world.

…

Matt woke with a start from his comfortable position in the car. He was dreaming of Suzy again when a jolt of the car hitting some kind of bump nearly threw him off his seat. Sitting up and momentarily getting dizzy from fatigue and the last dregs of sleep, he looked around blearily, not recognizing the place they had stopped.

In fact, he didn’t recognize the area at all. There were thick clumps of trees and wooden signs, a dirt road and everything covered in ice and snow. What the hell were they doing in a park?

“Wha’s goin’ on?” April woke up as well with a yawn, stretching out and rubbing her eyes. Matt looked at Mr. Schue for an answer, but found Laurence there instead. April did a little squeak, still not used to her school friend switching bodies. “Um…hi there,” she said awkwardly, waggling her fingers at him, “Will out for the count?”

“He was startled,” Laurence said, shutting off the engine. Matt looked around again, and then tensed when he felt the car shake and the roof rumble. Someone was on top of the car. April drew an intake of breath and eyed the roof, cautiously opening the glove compartment for a pair of impressive looking pliers inside. Matt reached out to the two adults, ready to pull a Houdini if the situation called for it.

Whoever was on the roof stomped hard and jumped down to the hood of the car, and landed with another hop to the ground. He was dressed in thin hospital issued garments, a woman in his arms, both of them wrapped up in a mess of bed sheets. Matt recognized the mop of blond hair immediately and waited uncertainly.

“Is that…?” April leaned closer to Laurence to get a better look; the man himself opened the door and slipped out.

“You’re hurt,” he said matter of factly.

Sam looked at his arm, trembling from cold and pain where a gunshot wound was seeping through the sheets he wrapped tightly around. He was too weak to carry Terri; the only thing keeping her up was the sheets tangled around her limbs. He both cursed and thanked his luck for crashing in on Laurence. It was good to see his boss again, but he didn’t want to appear weak in front of him.

“Just a scratch, I’ll be fine,” he tried to grin, but that shook too.

Laurence stared him down for a long minute. Sam wondered distractedly how different the man looked. His normally slicked back hair was tussled and carrying a tinge of brown, his suit was all wrinkled and hanging on him like rags. He didn’t look like himself. He looked…well…hung over.

Ignoring the staring, Laurence stepped back and opened the passenger door. “Alright Icarus, get in. We’ve got a lot to do.”

“But I have to find Finn!” he paled, ashamed of not completing his orders. Laurence put so much trust in him!

“Don’t worry. He comes in the equation as well.” Laurence looked at the woman in the boy’s arms. He looked as if he wanted to reach out to her, but changed his mind and got back in the car. “Good thing you dropped by, you’ll be of great use to me.”

At this Sam grinned happily. He liked being useful.

…

They exited the train with everyone else. Filtering into the station in groups of two no more than twenty feet apart. Announcements regarding safety and boarding trains came on every now and then. Keeping Kurt close, Finn led the way out of the station, hyper aware of his surroundings.

Babylon was a surprisingly peaceful place. The kind of place rich old people would retire to. None of the chaos had touched the town, and though travelers seemed nervous, there was no sign of a fight breaking out. If Finn could describe it, he would say that it was like Babylon was enclosed in a bubble keeping the angry mobs out.

It made everything all the more suspicious.

Finn squeezed Kurt’s gloved hand and took a deep breath. He made it this far, he could go a little further. Casting a glance to Ryder and Kitty, Finn watched the pair get lost in the sea of travelers. It was now or never.

Feeling Kurt huff softly in reluctance, he let go of his hand and walked away with Unique. Finn didn’t need to turn around to know they were no longer there.

He was alone.

Walking with a set jaw, and fighting the nerves that came with utter loneliness, Finn reached the exit of the station. He took another deep breath and forced himself to relax. Tried not to focus so hard on what was real. With every step, a bit of the world tore away. It wasn’t a hellish world like the night of his escape. By the time he exited the station, Babylon had transformed into a utopia of freshly cut grass, spotless pavements and exotic birds singing to the sky.

Behind him the station had transformed into a lonely open door leading to the real Babylon. Finn shut it behind him and turned to face an intricate gold and white carriage drawn by regal white horses. His stomach turned. The clown stood at the passenger door, there to greet him with his thin black smile and a mocking bow. Next to him was a woman in a deep red gown and flowing cape that kept most of her body hidden. She wore a matching crimson masquerade mask encrusted with jewels. Her hair didn’t help Finn in identifying her either, it was alive in the form of worms.

She stretched her hand out to him and the clown stepped aside for them to enter the carriage. Too sickened to look away, Finn became uncomfortably mesmerized with the individually moving worms. He almost didn’t catch what she was saying.

“…Your name is not Finn Hudson. Your real name…is Daniel. I’d like to take care of you, like a child of my own.”


	26. Babylon

Earlier  
Ella’s Daydream

The backyard had started to shift for a cozy kitchen with soft orange walls and a small wooden table. There was a stove heating up some water for the tea leaves set aside for it. The sun cast the kitchen in a warm and welcoming glow. Drawings plastered on the fridge displaying the varying styles and happiness of children who were very much loved. Finn recognized every detail immediately.

They were inside the Sato house.

Ella stopped the water just before it boiled and poured the kettle’s contents into the waiting glass teapot. The leaves and flowers inside the chamber bloomed, and the water became tinted a yellowish gold. He brought the teapot to the table where out popped little porcelain teacups with their intricately painted plates. A little metal tree holding tiny cakes and sandwiches grew from the center of the table as well.

Finn was so distracted by the magic trick that it came as a surprise to him to see that Matt and Suzy now joined them. Suzy was in a flowing white dress that glowed on its own as if the material were made in heaven. Matt was in a strange cross between a tuxedo and something straight out of something steampunk. There were artfully torn ruffles on his sleeves, and spider webs on his vest, a top hat completing the look. He was also wearing round rimmed blue sunglasses.

Feeling his own clothes begin to change, Finn looked down and saw that his pitiful disguise had now become a black suit similar to Matt’s, but with gear designs instead of spider webs. He self-consciously tugged at his sleeves, feeling ridiculous for being included in the bizarre get up. The other occupants of the room didn’t tease him, sitting down at the table and partaking in the tea Ella was serving.

“You called?” Matt said, taking a sip from his tiny cup, looking at Finn over his sunglasses.

“How…?” Finn couldn’t recall telling them his plans. Matt nodded to Suzy who smiled brilliantly.

“She’s a wanderer,” he reminded him, “a free spirit. She saw what you were planning and called me in as soon as you came here to see Ella.” Matt did a double take, and turned to the other flagrantly dressed teen to say hi.

Finn raised his eyebrows at Suzy. “You visited me while I was making plans?”

The pale girl nodded gently, still unable to speak.

She’d been keeping an eye on him since his last visit.

“Have some tea,” Ella said, smiling over his own cup. “We’ve got a lot to discuss and dreams can only last so long in such a short time.”

…

Present  
Lima

Puck told Brittany before he left for the roof that she should stay at the front doors of the hospital until he signaled for her to proceed. She was nervous and itchy, and she wanted to go back to the safety of the institution; but she remained as still as she could and tried to keep focused on what was happening outside. It was a hard thing to do as she had a habit of spacing out at the most inopportune moments.

At least Santana was here to keep her company. She had no idea where Tina and Mike had gone.

The lobby was a mess of frightened families and harried nurses. The screaming match she and Santana had walked into lessened as people took in their appearance. It was hardly surprising all things considered. They looked like the epitome of the word patient: thin, sickly, and only wearing hospital gowns.

It was a good thing they had security escorting them to the door, otherwise they would have been ambushed. But that didn’t stop the visitors from shouting for answers and whether they knew whoever their sons and daughters were.

The experience had been so shocking that Brittany briefly forgot why she was in the lobby at all. They reached the doors with the guards forming a perimeter around them, shouting at everyone to keep calm. If Brittany had been as lucky as Rachel, she would have used her abilities the minute she stepped out of the elevator.

“They’re starting,” Santana noted. From outside they could see several weapons being pulled away from the shocked mob. Gently, they floated up to the roof where the two girls couldn’t see from the angle they were at. They screamed when a body caught on fire landed feet first on the other side of the glass doors. Through the bright haze of fiery orange and yellow, they could make out the broad back and shaved head of Puck straightening himself from the massive jump. He looked taller.

It was probably a bad time, but Brittany felt her heart stutter at the sight. Then Santana gently squeezed her shoulders and suddenly she remembered what she came here to do. Puck turned in their direction and gestured for her to come outside.

As Santana held the door open for her, the confused mob snapped out of their stupor and rushed at Puck with just their fists. He reacted faster and spread out a wall of fire in a wide slash with his arm. It momentarily stopped them, and just as they were going to push forward anyway, Puck spread his hands out in front of him.

Strings of flame licked out from him and trailed on the floor like snakes. They swiveled and split the mobs into smaller groups, the flames growing taller and hotter to keep them contained. Puck could feel himself dancing close to unconsciousness. He was using an excessive amount of his power and energy in just this one move. He’d never used this much in one go, and if his past experiences were anything to go by, he was probably going to be out for three or four days.

“Brittany!” he shouted through his dazedness, shooting up three fire balls into the sky to signal the others on the roof. “Now! Before they suffocate!”

Taking that as their signal, Santana and several of the guards accompanying them plugged their ears and shut their eyes as if that would also help muffle their hearing.

Snapping to attention Brittany took a deep breath. _“Twinkle, twinkle little star,”_ she sang, her voice separating into a soothing chorus of voices that carried out farther than humanly possible, _“how I wonder what you are, up above a world so high.”_ Puck lowered the intensity of his flames, his prisoners having dropped their fists, their eyes glazed with drowsiness, _“like a diamond in the sky…”_

Brittany didn’t even have to finish. The once angry mob dropped in dead heaps, no longer feeling any uncontrollable anger, and all wearing goofy grins from the dreams they were enjoying. Brittany finished with a final tune and stood there admiring her work for a beat before crumbling to the floor from the sudden onslaught of a splitting headache. Santana was at her side in an instant, the guards still standing going into action and shouting orders into their walkie-talkies.

His flames dying out into weak smoke, Puck collapsed as well. He was unconscious before he hit the floor.

…

Babylon

She quietly observed the young man sitting in front of her. He was zoned out just as her past victims had been. As soon as she gave them a new name, they’d become putty in her hands, ready to follow her orders, and completely forget their own identities. She narrowed her eyes at the state he was in. Cheaply put together clothes that kept him warm and hid his build. His hair was dyed red, which oddly made his face forgettable and not as easily distinguishable. At least not for the first few minutes if someone were to stare hard enough.

But it wasn’t the best disguise in the world. How the hell did he manage to get to New York without getting caught?

“Where’s his brother?” she asked softly. The question was not directed at her guest. “I do recall requesting both of their presence,” her eyes drifted to Pierrot, so attentive to her every word. The poor clown shrugged uncertainly, feeling as though this was somehow his fault. “Is he in Babylon?”

Pierrot squirmed. He’d been near Finn many times, but looking at him now had him feeling a sense of guilt. He was reminded of what he’d done to the other teen’s head, and in effect manipulating his feelings for his brother. It hadn’t bothered him until now, when he was face to face with him. It was clouding his judgment.

“I can’t jump into his brother’s head,” he admitted ashamedly, “there’s something blocking me when I try…I…I can’t,” he shuddered and looked away.

His ‘Master’ hummed thoughtfully. Pierrot was the best dream manipulator she’d ever come across. He was the only one of his kind. He could invade the dreams of any person she wished, yet he couldn’t even touch Kurt Hummel. He feared him.

“Pity,” she said finally with a sigh, “we’ll have to sniff him out the old fashioned way.”

…

Pittsburgh  
Earlier

The room they found wasn’t the only one in the abandoned labs. After Unique’s group showed them the documents surrounding the identities of the first victims, Finn and Kurt were taken to another connecting room where the kids kept their stuff. It had been a cafeteria with a working stove and sink, and the sitting area had been transformed into a giant bedroom.

There were sleeping bags scattered around the floor, and small trinkets to make the place welcoming. One side had colorful bed sheets hung up as a tent, with a lava lamp on the side and several books and newspapers. The other corner was less showy, a desk lamp and lantern sat side by side between the two sleeping bags. The center of the room seemed to be the agreed spot for general things like toiletries and spare sheets most likely gathered while scrounging for survival. There was also a working electric heater that was currently keeping the cafeteria in a moderately warm temperature.

The serving area of the cafeteria had become a place for storing junk food, or it appeared to be. Jake pulled away some unopened bags of chips to reveal stolen gadgets like walkie talkies and cuffs.

“This was really Ryder’s work,” Jake explained, pulling away more packages to show their entire collection. “Most of these are from cops, but we’ve been able to get some good stuff from Apate officers – when we’re crazy enough to approach them.”

The same guilty feeling that Kurt felt when he accepted stolen money from Matt fell over him again. He knew they were doing it to survive, but it made him uncomfortable to hear that this was all stolen from police officers. From people who worked to keep citizens safe. It wasn’t the same as stealing from a drug dealer.

“The walkie talkies have helped us keep track of each other when we split up for food,” Jake continued, picking up said device and tossing it to Finn who just barely caught it, “there’s enough here for a small army. We’ll need them for Babylon.”

“I also managed to get this from Apate,” Ryder grabbed a stocky gun that could have been confused for a flare gun, and a small flat device similar to an iPhone. “If I’d gotten this before Marley was taken, we’d have been able to find her faster,” he said glumly. He flicked a switch on the side of the flat gadget and the screen illuminated to show them a grid with a glowing red dot in the center. “It’s a tracking device used on Alice Syndrome victims in case they try to run away.” He aimed the gun at one of the empty tables behind them and fired.

The shot was silent, and the bullet didn’t do anything destructive. What happened was there was a red laser dot on the targeted area, and when Ryder pulled the trigger, the dot left a dark stain which on closer inspection, had a microscopic chip in the center.

“We’ve used it on each other when we have to split up,” Kitty said with a listless shrug, “doesn’t hurt, you barely even feel anything, and they’re easy to wash off when we don’t need them anymore.”

“We’re running low on ammo though,” Jake said, taking the gun and giving Ryder a scolding glare, “and we haven’t come by any more Apate officials who have more.”

Kurt stared at the tracking gun, a plan already beginning to form in his head.

“What else you got?” Finn asked curiously.

Babylon  
Present

The crowds spilled out and dissipated long after Finn left. Kurt’s head was too stuffy to pay much attention to his surroundings. He only focused on watching Finn enter a waiting Mercedes Benz where a shadowed woman and another person stood waiting for him. He thought he recognized the stranger, but he stepped into the car before his face could be discerned.

Unique joined him after taking a trip to the bathroom. She wasn’t recognizable at first until she cleared her throat and said, “Nurse Unique’s out, say hello to Dr. Kumar.” She was now a distinctively middle aged Indian man in a coat and hat that made ‘him’ look like Sherlock Holmes. It took Kurt an embarrassing long minute to put two and two together, but in his defense he was running a fever, and Unique sounded like a genuine off-the boat Indian.

“You’re a frightening woman,” was all he could say while she adjusted her hat at a more tasteful angle.

They left the station and steadily followed the road the Mercedes drove down. Not many people were out, and in the night with only their footsteps crunching in the snow, it gave the neighborhood a sad and lonely atmosphere.

The rather unwelcome quiet was enough to leave Kurt to his own thoughts. Questions buried from all the moving around finally made themselves known again. Like why was everyone able to display some kind of symptom to the Alice Syndrome except him? Why was he excluded when he was constantly around people who carried a supposedly contagious disease?

Why did Finn say he feared him?

The documents said he was infected. Yet he displayed no symptoms related to the disease. He hadn’t even dreamed anything strange aside from the one time Finn had managed to visit him. The most he was able to do was keep Finn’s hallucinations at bay, and even destroy manifested monsters with a single touch.

Kurt adjusted his face mask distractedly, pulling his coat tighter around him against a strong wind. His body was screaming for respite, now more than ever with his cold taking full charge. He stubbornly walked on, keeping himself from sinking into misery by trying to come up with answers to all of his unanswered questions.

He thought back to the first time Finn showed signs of the Alice Syndrome. Back in the kitchen of their new home in what felt like a lifetime ago. He recalled Finn’s reluctance to accept that he wasn’t a McKinley student anymore; the genuine terror in his eyes when he’d seen his first hallucination.

The days that had followed as Finn had increasingly become unhinged. The constant need to seek him out for apparently no reason… 

He remembered the accident and the medications. Watching helplessly as the other boy became thinner and weaker in such a short amount of time. The incident at school that led to Finn being institutionalized and the struggle of seeing their parents completely forget he even existed. It was such a painful thing to endure, and even more painful to see Finn get worse and needing him more with every visit paid to him.

Kurt blinked furiously, ducking his head deeper in the neck of his coat. He couldn’t think about how pitiful Finn had been, he was healthier now. Some weight he lost had returned and he was smiling more. The control over his hallucinations certainly helped him overcome some of the fears still clinging to him, and now that he had a purpose, he was standing taller and gaining more confidence in his abilities.

Kurt just hoped that should things get bad, that at the very least Finn could come out of this alive. If all his self-training paid off, then using Sunshine’s healing ability would be almost second nature to him. Unlike the first time when he’d woken up…

Unique stumbled to a stop when she realized Kurt was no longer walking with her. She turned back and arched an eyebrow at him. “We’re walking…?” she waved to the road ahead. When he didn’t respond, she frowned and approached him, looking into his wide eyes. “Kurt?” she placed her gloved hands on his shoulders, shaking him a little, “wake up, we’ve got a car to follow.”

He looked at her, his face frozen in shock, “I…” then he thought better of it and shook his head, walking past her. “Sorry. I just…I think I just realized something.”

The faux Indian followed him curiously. “Realized what?”

“Nothing important,” he worried his bottom lip, “but just as a precaution don’t touch me barehanded.” Unique rolled her neck indignantly and threw him a dirty look. “Nothing against you!” he added distractedly. “Actually…no one should touch me barehanded. I can’t explain it, but...” he choked out a slightly hysterical laugh, “I have a theory.”

Unique pursed her lips, shrugged and they continued their trek down the street. “Whatever you say…”

Kurt thought furiously. Things were finally starting to make sense. Erasing Finn’s hallucinations, Orion being unable to turn him invisible, resisting Laurence’s hypnotism, not seeing Alice…It was all there right in his face and it made perfect sense!

“Boy, you’re freaking me out,” Unique said flatly, her true voice cutting through her fake accent.

“Sorry,” he tugged at his mask, the soft material brushing against his lips where not a few hours ago, Finn had kissed them. Maybe he wasn’t completely useless to the group after all.

One thing still bothered him. If Finn was an empath, wouldn’t he just be able to mimic Kurt’s ability to null the visions? Did he have to know he was seeing an ability in action in order for him to learn the trick? Why touch?

…But other people they came across touched him in some way and nothing happened. It was only Finn. Why?

Or did the touch need to be skin on skin?

He had to know. Kurt ripped off one of his gloves and reached out to Unique’s cheek. Then hesitated. What if it worked and he blew their cover?

Unique side eyed him and stepped back, “Excuse me? You trying to slap me or something?”

Kurt walked on, leaving Unique to trail after him. Maybe he was wrong. Maybe he didn’t have an ability.

When they reached a fork in the road they stopped. Unique pulled out the tracking device, the screen lighting up her tanned face, still irritated by the other boy’s behavior. Kurt watched as the glowing red dot moved slowly around the grid map of the neighborhood. The pair stared at the screen for a good minute before it hit them.

“They’re moving in a circle,” Kurt looked around the empty roads, trying to find the black Mercedes in the distance. “Babylon’s here somewhere…!”

Unique fumbled through her pockets, the change in disguise throwing her off a bit. When she finally produced her walkie-talkie from one of the pockets inside her jacket she only had time to press the button and say, “We found – ” before being cut off sharply with a weak, “urgh!”

She fell in a heap next to Kurt who whipped around to see her struggle with strange shiny looking bonds that wrapped tightly around her and left dark smudges on her clothes. He reached out to her, but she was dragged back too quickly, an angry cry peeling from her throat.

The ropes stretched a few feet back to a lone figure in black standing under the street light, his pale face dull in the light, and his open palm stretched out in front of him. Kurt felt a chill run down his spine. He’d recognize that face anywhere. 

“Blaine,” he uttered breathlessly, feeling dizzy on the spot with shock.

Unique slowed to a stop by the other teen’s feet, still trying to break free from the strange ropes, and warping back to her original body from the struggle. Kurt stood frozen on the spot, watching the spectacle without really registering exactly what was happening.

He knew Blaine would be here. He knew he would probably share the same fate as Sam. It just couldn’t click in his head. He couldn’t identify this Blaine with the Blaine he knew from Dalton.

Kurt raised his trembling hands in surrender. One hand gloved and the other still bare. “Blaine – ”

He raised his other hand where Kurt had a brief second to see a long gash and suddenly blood shot out in a single string like the rope that had Unique tied up. Kurt was so disgusted and horrified all he could do was watch it shoot towards him like a bullet. He squeezed his eyes shut and waited for the worst to happen.

The ungloved hand became drenched in warm sticky blood. He felt it splatter all over him, and splash onto the floor. When nothing further happened, he peeked open an eye. He was still standing, and he was still alive.

And now both Unique and Blaine were looking at him with varying degrees of surprise.

Kurt didn’t have much time take it all in, because as he was still letting everything sink in, he felt a pinch in his neck and suddenly everything went black.

…

Earlier  
Ella’s Daydream

The herbal tea was soothing and helped him relax. Finn wasn’t big on tea, it was literally just leaf flavored water to him, and he really only took it when he was sick or if Rachel made it for him. There were a lot of things he’d heard about tea that was supposedly beneficial to health and helped relieve stress, all of which he’d never paid attention to. Now, though, he completely understood.

He stared at his cup, the gold tinted liquid swirling inside, and wondered why he’d never experienced tea like this before. Across the table Ella giggled softly over the rim of his cup.

“As a wanderer it takes a taxing amount of power from the brain to travel through dreams,” he said, amused by Finn’s reaction. “We don’t realize it much just like a person doesn’t realize they’re exhausting themselves when they’re spending all night on the internet. If you meet other wanderers, you’ll see that they occasionally drink tea to sooth the stress they’re putting their brains through. Drinking it in reality also helps.”

“That’s why you gave me tea when I stopped by,” Finn said, recalling the visit, and the devastating news that followed regarding Kurt.

“Actually, I was just being hospitable,” Ella shrugged, “tea aside, let’s get back to the main topic at hand, shall we?” he delicately set down his cup and with it the mood around the table darkened. “You’ve found Babylon.”

Finn nodded and stared at his tea again. He had a plan. Not a solid one. Actually they’d be extremely lucky if the plan somehow succeeded. There were too many holes in it to make it manageable, let alone plausible. At the top of the list of problems they had was the hypnotism of the Apate president.

“First of all when it comes to the practice of hypnotism the one being hypnotized must have some level of trust in the person hypnotizing them,” Ella explained, his finger tiptoeing around the rim of his cup and gently spinning it. “It works in magic shows and in counseling. I hear it’s used occasionally in FBI investigations. In the case of Laurence and the president, their level of hypnotism goes beyond trust – they demand it and get it regardless of any resistance.”

“But Laurence has been going through some dissolution with Apate,” Matt said darkly, “he’s realized he’s an illusion created by Mr. Schue – a result of undergoing the president’s spell for years. Because he’s managed to lose a massive amount of trust in her, his own focus broke and now everyone in the country is waking up. In a bad way.”

“Wait, what?” Finn blinked, “Laurence is an illusion? What?”

“It’s a long story, we’ll tell you when we meet up with you,” Matt waved off. “Point is, at the core of it, hypnotism is about trust. The president is going to make you trust her no matter what you believe, and that’s what we need to prevent.”

“Kurt must be really skeptical if Laurence wasn’t able to get him on his side,” Finn raised his eyebrows, impressed. A strange pause fell over the table that he didn’t like, especially when his comment was meant to lighten the mood. No one looked amused.

“I’ve been wondering about this since we left Youngstown,” Ella said carefully. “Orion has the ability to use words to blanket not only him, but his surroundings. When your friend found us, Orion cast Invisibility to affect everyone in the room. Kurt was the only one unaffected.”

Finn remembered Kurt said something along those the lines, but it was said so casually he’d thought nothing of it…

“Have there been any other instances where Kurt’s remained unaffected by an outsider’s abilities?” Ella asked. “Or moments where when he touched you, you not only felt normal again, but you couldn’t perform any of the abilities you’ve already mastered?”

Lima  
Present

As soon as Brittany’s spell settled down, those still awake removed their earplugs and moved as fast as they could. Mike and Tina took the west exit with a few paramedics. The hospital was short staffed, but volunteers from able bodied Apate patients helped bulk up for the loss by applying first aid to the people knocked out by the lullaby.

Mike had been watching everything from his spot by the doors, unable to do anything to stop the violence that led to the many deaths taking place in front of him. He and Tina were considered step three in the plan. Rachel and Puck were to reduce the violence by removing the weapons and momentarily distracting the crowd, while Britney took advantage and put them to sleep. This point in the plan was cleanup. Within his group, Mike was given long rubber gloves, an apron over his coat and a face mask to protect him from getting too messy. He also carried a hefty first aid kit to bandage anyone still alive.

The display of carnal fury was a frightening sight to witness. It was too similar to the zombie movies he’d often gushed over with his friends. Every nerve in him was itching to stop it all. He desperately wanted to use his ability to undo what was done.

“Not yet,” Tina kept saying every time he tipped the door open. He was stage two, and he hadn’t told anyone yet what he was capable of. All they knew was that it made him extremely weak and closer to death the more he used it. They forbade him from using it again.

Once it was okay to move outside, Mike and Tina moved through the piles of corpses and unconscious rioters, going through the process of separating them into two groups. It was a grim task. Not even twenty minutes passed and already Mike was caked in bodily fluids. His hands became slippery with blood, and more than once he ended up dropping a body from his trembling grip. He was too shocked to cry.

There were so many bodies, glossy eyes staring back at him, bruised and battered. There were going to be hundreds of children orphaned tonight. He feared his own parents being included in the body count.

He stared at his bloodied hands, then back to the others who were struggling through tears to gather the dead. There weren’t enough hospital staff or military to make the process speedy before those knocked out woke up again. A lot of the volunteers were teenagers, and some were already finding their parents in the pile. He could see from his spot just a few who’d fallen to their knees in grief.

And he had the power to reverse it.

Mike took several deep breaths. He only used his ability twice and it nearly killed him. He didn’t know if the next time he used it would be his last. He was scared.

And yet all these kids…

He looked down at the woman he’d been marking as dead. She was middle aged, blue eyed and staring emptily at the sky. Blood caked down the side of her head and her jacket had been torn to shreds. She was one of the members of the PTA in the middle school a few blocks from his house. She used to walk her daughter – her spitting image – to school every day and volunteered to chaperone field trips. They never spoke, even if they crossed paths in the grocery store. She seemed like a good mother. Her daughter was always happy. He never saw the father.

He cradled the side of her head and wondered where her daughter was now.

Taking another shuddering breath, he gently shut her eyes.

Then he shut his own and focused.

“Mike, what are you doing?” he could hear Tina ask in alarm from yards away. He ignored her and focused harder.

There was a sliver of a string still left in this body. All he had to do was touch it and it would strengthen and expand into a brand new string. It would hurt him, but the pain was nothing compared to the suffering this woman’s daughter would undergo if he didn’t do something. He needed to _focus harder._

Other strings started popping up, calling his attention.

It would only take a few minutes. If he could just…

“NO! STOP!”

All noise around him became muffled. He could hear Tina’s cries coming closer, her hands shaking his shoulders, desperately trying and failing to rip his hand away from the woman he was trying to save.

He felt like every muscle, every nerve, every _cell_ , were ripping in two.

Earlier  
Babylon

She woke up without realizing she’d been asleep. It took her a minute to focus on her surroundings. Dim lighting, glass cylinders reflecting light. A cool gust blowing gently over her…

Marley weakly reached up and rubbed her eyes. That single motion felt like a chore on her lax body. She couldn’t even remember the last time she’d used her muscles. The prison she’d been kept in had prevented her from moving much, not that she could even if she wanted to, the gas pumped into the cylinder always kept her immobile…

She gasped sharply, blinking harder to refocus her drowsed eyes. She was able to move her hand! She’d _moved it!_

The room sharpened into focus. The first thing she noticed was that the glass case she’d been kept in was no longer there. The only thing keeping her upright on the backboard was the steel straps around her arms and waist. Straps that then clicked and recoiled back into the board with her shifting. Marley had a second of surprise before she fell in a heap on the cold floor.

She lay there for a good few minutes, too weak and disoriented to move. No one was around. The lab was dead silent save for the faint beeps coming from the main tube in the middle of the room.

This was either her chance to escape or she was walking into a trap…

Where was everybody?

Grunting in pain, Marley pushed herself up to a sitting position. She sucked in deep gulps of air, her arms shaking and her head spinning. Home, she needed to go home. She had to see if her mother was okay. Gingerly putting more of her weight on her arms, she pushed her legs against the floor and tried to stand.

Only for her to fall with a frustrated cry. The linoleum punched her chin and she lay there shuddering and holding back tears of pain. She tried again and again. Inching her way closer to the exit, the sign glowing over the door like the finish line to a marathon. She didn’t know how much time she had left before the doctors would be back. She couldn’t go back in that tube. _She wanted freedom!_

Giving up on standing, she crawled the rest of the way, her hand landing heavily on the door handle, forcing it open with her weight. The other side revealed a stairway, and a few steps up, a paper with a hand written message.

_‘You know what to do.’_

Once Marley reached it, she picked it up, the paper crinkling in her hand when she saw what it had been hiding.

Sitting innocently on the stairs with the light kissing its black surface into gray, was a gun.

Long Island  
Present

The car was crowded with the addition of an unconscious woman and a bleeding teen. They worked with what little April’s first aid kit had to offer, which in the end happened to be enough. After cleaning it up, it turned out the bullet that hit Sam’s arm was actually a graze. The blond was so relieved he insisted he leave to complete his orders to protect Finn. The only reason he stayed at all was because Laurence made him.

“You’ll be useless to Finn injured,” the older man reasoned from the front of the car. “You’ll be better off with us; we’ll need your abilities.”

Matt watched Sam nod uncertainly. He was wrapped up like a giant shivering marshmallow in the bed sheets he used to fly to New York. Laurence had the heater cranked up, but Sam still looked like an icicle. The woman was in bad shape too, but at least she had some color returning. Matt wasn’t sure whether Sam’s unhealthy appearance was a result of pollen addiction or flying hundreds of feet in the winter sky with nothing but thin layers to keep him warm.

He really pitied the guy. Matt didn’t really know him, but from the sadness of Finn and Kurt, to the guilt from Jackie, he was getting the impression that Sam was about as marshmallowy as the bed sheets wrapped around him. Or he had been. This Sam didn’t seem to have any personality at all.

Matt flinched when Sam turned to him suddenly. “What?”

Sam cocked his head to the side, his eyes darting all over the place in Matt’s direction. “You’re hiding something.”

Laurence looked at them from the rearview mirror. “Hiding what?”

Matt scowled. He’d almost forgotten about his dream. “I need to meet someone at the airport. Finn’s made his move.”

“He visited you?” Laurence frowned. “‘Move’? He’s in Babylon already!?”

“Suzy visited me,” Matt emphasized her name. Laurence went back to looking at the road, his face unreadable. “We had a meeting with Finn and Ella. They’re – “

“Ella?” The hypnotist mumbled. “Sato? You spoke with her?”

Shit. Matt bit his tongue. He hadn’t meant to say his name. At least Laurence still believed Ella was a girl. “Yeah. If you want in on the plan, just ask.”

“What plan?” Laurence almost turned around in his seat in his outburst, “exactly how many people are going to Babylon!?”

“Not a lot,” Matt muttered grimly. It was strange to see actual concern written on Laurence’s face. He’d always been cold and well composed even in chaos. For a brief second, Matt could see a bit of Mr. Schue shining through, and that…was both nostalgic and heartbreaking. With great reluctance Matt said, “We could really use your help.”

Babylon

She watched the young man while waiting for Alice to return. The clown had grown quiet the entire ride so far. Not even getting baited for her attempts at small talk. This didn’t particularly bother her. Her main concern was locating Kurt Hummel. But it did earn an arched eyebrow.

“Target secured.”

She looked at the window and smiled at the reflection of Alice staring back at her. “Was he with anyone?”

“A shifter. It looks as if they came alone. We’re taking them to the lab right now,” the little girl reported. She spotted the clown over the president’s shoulder and greeted him with a wave, which he weakly returned. “The precog’s in position. She’ll be waiting for the order when it’s time.”

The president hummed thoughtfully and leaned back in her seat, returning her attention to the quiet wanderer across from her. Alice disappeared from the window, reappearing next to the driver and ordering him to stop circling. The car changed direction and drove straight ahead. The president glanced at the clown, small and childlike in the presence of his school friend.

Was he starting to feel regret?

“Pierrot,” she said calmly, placing a comforting hand on his knee. “Are you afraid of him?”

He flinched and looked away guiltily. “I’m…confused.”

She reached up and wrapped an arm around him, pulling him close enough for his head to land on her shoulder. The boy was trembling, caught between keeping alert or relaxing. He wasn’t afraid of Finn, she realized with a spark of irritation. Pierrot was afraid of her. “Do you remember the mission of Apate, dear?”

“To find the cure all to disease, end wars, and bring peace to humanity,” he recited robotically.

“That’s right,” she ran a hand through his dark hair, making him shudder from the touch. “We’re at the cusp of completing that mission now that the full cast has been brought to the stage. All thanks to you,” she leaned down and kissed the crown of his head. He didn’t melt as he should have. “Finn is here under the belief that we’ve done more harm than good. He wants to destroy all our hard work. We’re bringing him in to show him the truth.”

“And Kurt?”

“Hm,” she smiled, “It’s difficult to explain…” she narrowed her eyes at Finn, zoned out and immobile. “But in the end we need him on our side in order to get Finn to stop his foolish mission. They’ll have no choice but to agree with us.”

“No choice?” there was sharp tone to Pierrot’s voice; he wasn’t falling for her soothing voice anymore. She didn’t predict that, and had to hold back a scowl. “Why would they have no choice?”

“Because you made them fall in love,” she answered truthfully. “There’s no turning back from the damage done…” she smiled down at Pierrot. “No harm will be done to them and no one else will get hurt. Apate will continue to prosper. Do you see now?”

“No,” he pulled away and faced her. His brows furrowed and eyes filled with pain. He was fighting her influence. She didn’t predict this at all, yet she admired the colossal strength he was putting against her power. “You said something about a bomb you plan on setting off. What bomb?” tears were filling his dark eyes, anger and regret radiating from him. “What did you make me _do?”_

She didn’t answer him. Alice appeared on his lap, her little hand stabbing into his stomach, digging deep while the other shut his mouth from screaming. Little by little, her arms disappeared into his body until she was completely inside him. Large lumps under his skin moved around in squelching noises. Pierrot struggled against the mental parasite, fighting so hard with his mind that blood began to run from his nose.

The president watched him quietly from her spot. She waited patiently for him to become her servant again. She only used this ability once before with a boy she had been friends with when they were little. The result had been shocking and mentally scarring for her, but she couldn’t let her emotions nor her past rule her now. If Pierrot was defying her, then this was the only way to get him back under her spell.

The clown fell against his seat in an exhausted heap. Gasping and wheezing, his thin hands weakly clawing at the side door. Still, she kept her distance, coldly watching him lose his battle to her. As a manipulator, he was possibly stronger than Laurence. His nightmares were vivid and could influence the thoughts of those he was haunting.

But he was nothing compared to her.

“There,” she cooed, pulling him back against her. She pulled out a tissue and wiped the blood from his face. This time he did relax against her, placing full trust in her. “Pierrot. We’re inviting Finn and Kurt to Apate to join the family. They’ll be given new names, and a happier life. Won’t that be fun?”

Pierrot nodded, snuggling closer to her.

Earlier  
Daydream

They were into their second cup of tea when Ella decided to speak. “You’ll need to dive into the Clown’s mind.”

Finn dropped his cup with a clatter, _“What?”_

“The Clown,” he repeated, “the president of Apate has him under his control. I tried to visit him once, but his entire world is bound by chains and darkness. I can only visit; there was nothing I could do to free him.”

“But – ”

“If we get the Clown on our side, we have a powerful ally against Apate,” Matt turned to Ella, “that’s what you’re saying right?”

“He would also have better insight to where Apate’s holding your friends,” Ella nodded and he looked apologetic. “It’s your best shot, Finn.”

A Few Minutes Ago  
Babylon

When he arrived at Babylon and saw the carriage waiting for him, Finn knew who would be there to greet him. He knew of the powerful force the president and the Clown would be combined. He also knew that in order to survive this ordeal, he had to immediately do the one thing he’d been trying to fight since the beginning.

He had to let the hallucinations take over and wipe out every last remnant of reality around him. It was surprisingly the easiest thing he could ever do because he’d been doing it ever since he was a child.

He had to daydream.

_“…Your name is not Finn Hudson. You’ve never had a name. I’d like to take care of you, like a child of my own. Your real name…is Daniel.”_

‘Finn Hudson, my name is Finn Hudson,’ he stepped into the carriage with the ‘Queen’, allowing himself get distracted by all the intricate designs that framed the windows. There were roses and filigrees, detailed twists and turns that took up the abstract shape of horses and dragons.

Eventually the Queen’s voice and presence died away and he was alone with the Clown. He looked so misplaced with his sad black and white costume splashed against the reds and gold’s of the carriage. As much as he’d like to, Finn refrained from calling forth Kurt the Knight.

“He’s not as threatening now,” Ella noted, appearing next to him, dressed shockingly in a black aristocratic tuxedo. It hugged his slim body like a glove, showing off how thin he was from all the stress it took to use his ability. Finn raised an eyebrow at the change in appearance and the other teen shrugged. “Sometimes I want to wear pants.”

Shaking his head, Finn focused on the Clown again. He felt less scared with the company, even if all Ella could do was offer advice. The Clown looked from Finn to Ella, not moving a muscle. It was as if he were paralyzed with shock or confusion in the presence of both wanderers willingly coming to him.

“Did you get to Kurt’s planet?” Finn asked, not taking his eyes off the manipulator.

“No. Suzy’s going instead. She insisted,” Ella had his eyes locked on the Clown as well. “Apparently she’s been in and out of the Network ever since you got in,” he shrugged, “makes sense, she doesn’t have a body to hold her spirit down. Her only problem is she can’t relay messages like you were able to. Only feelings.”

“But she’ll be able to save Kurt,” he stated rather than asked.

“She will,” he smiled to himself, “now, go in.”

Finn set his jaw. He wasn’t quite ready and he was starting to feel sick, bile rising in his throat. “Do I really have to – ”

“Yes.”

He blew out a puff of air. He only knew what to do through theory, not practice. It didn’t sound very pleasant either, and it felt wrong to have to do it. Even for a creature that’d been haunting him and messing with his mind. The Clown slowly turned from Ella to Finn, his confusion transforming into a venomous sneer. He sat up straighter, fangs growing out and eyes turning into slits. He was getting ready to pounce

“Finn,” Ella’s tone hardened slightly.

“I know I know,” he muttered. He just needed to prepare himself. He needed the right mentality.

“You’re running out of time, just do it.”

Finn let out a growl of frustration and sprang forward just as the Clown attacked. He jabbed his hand at the Clown’s gut, barely missing the fist whistling past his cheek. His hand buried deep into the manipulator, defying physics by not puncturing through the other side. It felt cold and squishy and awful. The Clown halted, wide eyed and mouth agape in a silent scream. He clawed at Finn’s arms like a pinned animal, but Finn forced himself to dig deeper, his arm going in up to his shoulder.

This was wrong. This was so wrong.

Finn shut his eyes tight and forced himself into the Clown’s mind.  


Babylon

The plan had been going well up until Kurt and Unique’s capture. It wasn’t that they weren’t supposed to be captured. Once Finn was taken away, they knew Apate would look around for Kurt to see if he was tailing them. That was exactly was they wanted because if they were distracted by Kurt and Unique, then they wouldn’t know about Kitty and Jake.

Since getting off the train, Kitty held onto Jake’s hand and made them both invisible. They’d been following Kurt and Unique, waiting for Apate to make themselves known so they could hitch a ride without them ever knowing it. So far things were going well.

Except for a detail they hadn’t expected.

The pair was inside the van that had Kurt strapped down on a stretcher. Unique was in the other van in the same state. Apart from the two officials at the front of the van, the only other occupant apart from Kurt was the dark haired boy who could manipulate blood.

Kitty inched closer to the young man. He was sitting beside Kurt, arms crossed and troubled. He was too young and boyish to be much older than them. From Kurt’s reaction, the two knew each other.

“He doesn’t look so scary when he’s not – ”

“Shh!”

Kitty rolled her eyes. Jake glared pointedly, but she waved him off. “How many times have I told you? We’re invisible – literally _invisible._ We can’t be seen, heard, or felt. It’s like we don’t exist.” The other boy kept glaring. “You can talk you know,” she scoffed indignantly.

His hold on her hand tightened as he settled more comfortably on the small seat they were attempting to share. Kitty hadn’t been able to figure that part of her ability out yet. She could make herself ‘non-existent’ and phase through walls or objects, yet sitting down on a chair was still possible. She was riding on the theory that her mind or whatever was subconsciously in charge of her ability instinctively allowed her to be physical enough to use something like a seat. It really came in useful when she wanted to scare the crap out of her friends.

Marley had been a really fun victim of her pranks.

Kitty scowled her foot tapping in irritation. She hadn’t meant to start thinking about her. Every time she did she just ended up angry and guilty and all those annoying feelings related to not being able to save a friend when there actually was a chance to save them. It sucked.

“Kurt _has_ an ability.”

“What?” she snapped, and then realized what Jake was talking about and deflated sheepishly. Long used to her prickly personality, Jake let it roll off his shoulders. His was too fixated on Kurt to care anyway. The older teen looked paler, and sickly. The face mask was taken away revealing thin black veiny lines that climbed up his neck, sticking out morbidly against his paper white skin. There were dark circles under his eyes and his skin was clammy with sweat.

This was more than just a cold. Kurt looked worse than when they left the city.

“He can nullify abilities,” Jake spoke almost to himself. “If he can use it against Apate, we can get Marley without any problems…”

“That is if we make it that far,” Kitty muttered grimly. Jake frowned at her, and did a double take. She was literally looking out the van, her top half phased through the wall of the vehicle. Hesitantly, he followed suit, shuddering at the weird cold feeling of phasing through metal. It almost made him want to puke had the sight before him not been so bizarre.

They were in some underground tunnel where the tunnel itself was made of glass, showing them a large garden being tended to by people in white lab coats. There were strange flowers filling the garden. They were like spider lilies, but with pearly petals that shimmered in the light, creating a glow in the tunnel. From testing tables that passed by, the flowers were being used as experiments. There were shelves filled entirely of crystal clear vials.

“Pollen,” Jake whispered. Kitty nodded next to him.

They were inside Apate’s main headquarters.

The Clown

The world Finn found himself in was a desolate black and gray world in which buildings were broken down and hanging on their hinges, the sky was moody, and there was the clammy smell of rain approaching. There were giant iron chains wrapped around the torn buildings, varying in sizes, and moving like snakes. Ella was nowhere to be seen. He was on his own.

He walked down the dusty street, noting the rodents skittering away, and the shadows of what looked like people hiding in dark corners. He kept walking, telling himself not to be afraid. He was inside someone’s mind, not reality. That meant he held power here, even if his opponent was stronger than him.

As he got deeper into the depressing remnants of a suburban neighborhood, he started noting a few familiar things. Street signs he recalled from home, cars he recognized on his treks to school or the supermarket. There were graded papers crumpled and trashed on the streets, dirtied signs of school activities and student government campaigns. All of which Finn remembered seeing at one point in his life at school.

The houses continued disintegrating the longer he walked. More and more trash covering the street. It was like a garbage truck vomited McKinley paraphernalia. Cheerleader uniforms, textbooks, computers and broken chalkboards. Eventually they piled up into a mountain of garbage Finn had to climb, leading up to a series of chains that came down from the sky.

The school supplies and equipment became buried with other things like car doors and tires, easy grip fingerless gloves Finn could have sworn he’d seen before. Endless piles of crippled glasses that sent a deep foreboding feeling in his gut, and large wheels bent and broken like sad memories. They were large and thin, but not meant for bicycles. Finn knew exactly what these wheels where built for.

Suddenly he wasn’t afraid anymore.

He was sad.

The top of the garbage mountain was reached, and there at the center, with chains wrapped around his frail limp body to hold him up like a prisoner, was the one person Finn didn’t wish to see in such a tragic state.

Artie.

Lima

There was a point where the pain was so strong, it felt like it wasn’t there anymore. Mike couldn’t see anything, and he wasn’t sure if his eyes were open or closed. What mattered was the feeling of warmth around him. The little pockets of warmth felt like bubbles of happiness to his cold skin. It was his only source of comfort to the darkness surrounding him. Where was he anyway? How long had he been here?

The last thing he remembered was the hospital. He was outside with Tina and he was trying to revive one of the dead that piled the parking lot. He wasn’t sure if he managed to repair the broken string within the woman. Everything went dark before he knew what happened.

The warm bubbles swam around him, keeping him comfortable and ebbing the pain away. His eyes drooped, falling into a gentle doze.

Maybe he was dead. If he was he didn’t mind sleeping for eternity like this. He hoped at least he managed to save the woman. His friends would be sad, and his family would miss him. But with time they would move on and find happiness again. He was perfectly fine here. Alone and at peace…

_“Not yet.”_

His eyes snapped open, not expecting the disembodied voice. He looked around, but found nothing in the darkness.

He wanted to ask who was there, but he was afraid.

Was this God?

The darkness around him began to lighten and dance like a candle. One of the bubbles lit up, then another. When he looked down, he realized they were actually floating paper lanterns in the shape of pumpkins. Their light source was single candles. No wonder it felt so warm....

Gently taking one by pinching the firm bit of stem sprouting on the crown, Mike woke up from his stupor, as did the rest of his surroundings. He was standing in a graveyard. The kind that was dark and creepy with thick misty fog, crooked tombstones, and leafless trees frozen in mid-dance.

_“You did your best.”_

Mike’s heart jumped in his throat. There was a girl in a flowing white gown standing by one of the more impressive graves, one with an angel reaching for the sky. He recognized her face, and the mousy brown hair. Last he’d heard, she’d died mysteriously in her sleep.

“You’re that girl,” he blurted out, taking a step back.

_“Suzy Pepper,”_ she replied with a nod, her lips not moving. _“You were pushing yourself beyond your limit. I caught you in time.”_

In time? Mike shut his mouth. He held the lantern close, the soft glow soothing some of his confusion. Suzy remained quiet, watching him with a gentle gaze. It made the cemetery less scary, but he was still at a loss. Hadn’t he been at the hospital a second ago?

“Where am I?” he asked. “Limbo?”

Suzy smiled slightly. _“Close to it. For you, this is a dream, for others it’s a bridge between life and death. Since this is considered a dream for you, I’m able to visit you. It’s a gift just like yours.”_

“I don’t…” he looked down at his lantern, the candle inside wasn’t a regular wax candle. Rather, it was almost as thin as a thread. The tip glowed brightly, but the body didn’t melt as it should. It actually reminded him strongly of the strings that maintained life. Strings that he tried to fix at the hospital…

Suzy walked closer to him. Her footsteps were quiet and graceful. Mike felt like complete darkness compared to her otherworldly glow. Yet he didn’t feel fear, he felt…it was strange, but it was like they were equals. She bent down and picked up one of the pumpkins floating around him, it glowed brighter briefly, her touch bringing it a bit of joy.

_“I died trying to protect a life,”_ she said, some sadness in her eyes. _“I have no regrets anymore.”_

Protecting someone? Who? Mike wondered.

_“You’re just like me; willing to sacrifice anything for the life of another.”_ She reached out and laid her hand on the lantern he held. He could feel warmth from her. He could feel serenity. _“You’re part of a small group gifted with power too strong for one person to handle. Finn’s the same.”_

“Finn?” did she know where he was? How did she know about him?

_“You’ve done what you could to save these lives,”_ the pumpkins around them floated close to her, their lights shuddering with happiness. _“You will guide them back to reality. I will guide the rest to a better place. It’s unfortunate,”_ her sad eyes locked on his. _“But thousands of children will be orphaned. You can’t save everyone, what you’ve done is more than enough. I’m sorry.”_

No…

He hugged the lantern closer to his heart, conscious of not crushing it. “I can try.”

_“Life is too precious to be meddled with,”_ she let go of the pumpkin, the rest floated closer to him. _“As is death. You alone can’t control it; the consequence will be your own life. There have just been too many losses…”_

“But – ”

_“Madness has spread too far, Mike,”_ she shook her head. _“Nothing can be done. We’re all doing our best, but we can only do so much. When you wake up, do what you can, but do not use your ability this way. Your body won’t be able to handle it.”_

All those kids at the hospital…

Mike clenched his teeth. Bitter tears welled up. If his body was stronger, maybe more lives could be saved. Maybe…if he’d tried harder…just a bit…

_“The window to recover lost lives passed.”_ Mike flinched, his heart freezing up. _“I will go into the network to stop the madness,”_ her pale lips curved to a tiny smile. She cupped his cheek, her hand soft and warm. He felt completely secure from the simple touch. _“Promise me you’ll watch over Matt. Please?”_

Matt…

He’d been missing since the evacuation from the institution. No one knew where he was, but Mike and the others were sure he was safe. He knew Matt had been close with Suzy last summer. He didn’t speak much of her when they reunited at Apate, but the way his tone changed whenever he mentioned her or even thought of her, Mike could tell Suzy had been special to him.

If only there was a way to save her…but her body was probably long decomposed now. If she was cremated, there was no chance at all.

“I promise,” he mumbled.

Suzy leaned up and kissed his cheek. As she stepped back fireflies started lighting up the graveyard, they flew lazily to her, their lights flickering like the pumpkin lanterns. There were thousands of them, enough to light up a city.

Mike looked at the lanterns around him and counted sixteen.

He only managed to resurrect sixteen lives.

Airport

It was quiet at the airport. The only thing to keep Ryder company was the television reporting the news. All television shows and events had been cancelled for the chaos ensuing across the country. Body counts were high, and control of the mania was slowly weakening. The state of emergency had been heeded, but there was nothing anyone could do to stop the violence. The police and military were overwhelmed by the civilian numbers, half of them giving in to the curse.

Ryder thought about his parents, left behind in his run from Apate. He couldn’t even call their cellphones or send an email for fear of Apate tracking him down. He hoped with everything he had that his parents weren’t caught up in the riots.

It was almost eight in the evening. By now the others should have arrived at Babylon. If Finn managed to contact the time jumper, then he should be arriving any minute now…

There was a group approaching him from the corner of his eye. With no one else around for a while, Ryder couldn’t help but spare them a glance.

They were an odd bunch. There was blonde woman probably in her thirties who was swimming in an expensive looking fur coat with nothing but sleep in her tired eyes. A frazzled man the same age in clothes stuck in the forties. A teenager in white hospital issued pajamas and a thin jacket that had seen better days. Even stranger was the second teen wrapped up in bed sheets, one corner stained red in what Ryder hoped wasn’t blood.

They didn’t look like the kind of people ready to go traveling. They looked like a bunch of misfits ready to take on apocalypse.

“I’m assuming you’re Ryder?” the first teen asked, coming closer while the group held back. The speedster eyed him warily. “I’m Matt Rutherford. I’m a friend of Finn’s. I know I was supposed to come alone, but these guys wanted to join in,” he grinned, “the more the merrier, right?”

Two adults and two teens. Ryder wasn’t sure he ever remembered an adult willing to help. How were they not affected by the madness? It was exclusively targeted at them.

Unless…

Ryder took a step back. It was Apate! They’d found him! He had to warn the others!

He ran blindly for the exit, his legs moving in a blur as they pedaled him forward within a blink of an eye. He only managed to reach the door before slamming into Matt who jumped in his way. They both fell over from the momentum, bruises forming from the crash. Matt clutched his stomach and rolled onto his knees, reaching out and placing a heavy hand on Ryder’s shoulder.

“We’re here to help!” he wheezed. “Idiot!”

“Help me!?” Ryder yelled, backing away onto his feet. “You – ”

“Finn sent me!” Matt yelled back, glaring fiercely at him, “I’m Nightcrawler!”

Ryder stopped short from another run. Nightcrawler? That was the code name they agreed on. But then, what about the two adults, he turned back to them. They looked dead on their feet, especially the woman. If they were going to help, how was it going to happen!?

“You look familiar,” he said narrowing his eyes at the pair. He had seen them somewhere. There was something about their faces that was setting off alarms in his head. “What are your names?”

“April Rhodes,” the woman said instantly, she was in a no fucks will be given mood.

The man hesitated. He glanced at Matt for some kind of signal, but eventually said, “William Schuester.”

Ryder gaped at them. They were the first victims of Apate! 

Schuester. He remembered now. Kurt and Finn had been shocked when they saw the documents. Their teacher who had been close to them was actually Laurence Niac!

Schuester suddenly melted away, a different face replacing the sad one. Grimmer with his sleek hair disarrayed. Pale as paper and slim as a twig. Ryder had been waiting for this moment for a long time.

He dashed up to the man and punched him square in the face.

Headquarters  
Babylon

The van kept going for a few more minutes, the labs were left behind, and other hallways passed by, mostly boring white ones with people in lab coats. There were a few large rooms that looked like gyms; kids their age were running around using their abilities with trainers there to guide them. Neither Jake nor Kitty could spot Marley.

Finally, after going through more hallways, the van stopped in a garage filled with identical vehicles. Kurt’s friend opened the back doors and used his ability to pull him out on the stretcher. Other Apate officials were there to greet them in formation with their guns out and ready. There was no sign of the Mercedes Finn was taken in, which gave Kitty and Jake some hope. They needed to know as many of the exits as possible.

“He’s smaller than I thought,” one of the officers commented as Blaine used his blood to unlatch the legs of the stretcher. The officer pulled a face at the squelch of blood working its way through the latches and bars. “Is using your ability really necessary?”

“I’d rather not touch him,” Blaine said softly, setting the stretcher down properly on its wheels. “I tried capturing him, but he nullified me.”

“Uh…”

“He stopped my blood manipulation,” he clarified calmly. Just as the officers hesitantly looked at each other dumbfounded, Alice popped up in front of Blaine, smiling brightly and dusting the front of her skirt of invisible wrinkles.

“We have Finn in the lab,” she said in her childlike voice, her words ringing out in the garage. The officers fell silent, “bring Kurt to one of the cells so that She can look over him properly later on.”

“I don’t think that’s necessary,” Blaine stared blankly at the little girl. The invisible duo didn’t know what to make of the strange emptiness in his eyes. It made them uncomfortable.

“Why?” Alice clasped her hands behind her back and rocked back and forth in her Mary Janes. “Tell me why.”

“You already know,” Blaine’s eyes narrowed. He hovered an arrow of blood over Kurt’s chest, the tip managed to tear a bit of his coat before shattering back into liquid and drenching the teen. Alice ‘oooh’d and clapped her hands. Blaine remained unimpressed. “Did She plan this all along?”

Alice poked at the handle bars by Kurt’s arm, her smile widening toothily.

The Network

While calming the minds of all the maddened adults was her main priority, Suzy knew she didn’t have much time if she wanted to save Kurt. If what Finn described was true, then the only explanation to Kurt’s planet ‘cracking’ was the same thing that happened to all regular planets.

Kurt was going supernova.

It happened to all planets be it stars or people. A life span was either spent or cut short. In place of it would be a black hole powerful enough to drag planets close. It was the same as feeling emptiness in your heart when someone you loved dies. Suzy didn’t need to be in the network to understand how much her parents mourned her.

On her journey to find Kurt, Suzy tried to calm as many agitated planets she passed by. Too many had already become black holes, save for the sixteen Mike was able to save. She tried not to think bitterly of what could been if he found her just over a month ago. She had enough people wishing they’d been able to save her.

No. Don’t think about it.

She flew past trembling planets, reaching out and wishing to calm them. What Finn was able to do with the friend he saved wasn’t merely ‘power’ he sent out, it was a desire to save a life. He wished so strongly that his desires became energy and propelled from his body to aid the bursting planet to reverse itself and become stable again. Suzy was now able to do this without the strain of a physical body holding her down. She could exercise her abilities as much as she wanted and still have energy to spare.

Thanks to that, she was able to stabilize literally hundreds of planets just by flying past them. All while looking for the gigantic planet that was Kurt.

It took her some time. Nothing stood out and the dying planets were often distracting, but eventually she realized with shock that she wasn’t looking properly. There was a large black mass with broken chains that could have been confused for several planets strung together in broken lines. She’d been past it three times without realizing.

The massive planet did dwarf its neighbors as Finn described. It almost looked like a black hole of epic proportions, but the only way Suzy could tell the difference was that it wasn’t sucking anything in and there were distinct blackish clouds floating in its atmosphere. There were also long jagged cuts that stretched for miles, exposing a deep red interior.

What caught her attention, though, was another planet half its size, but still bigger than the others. It was a constant swirling mix of colors that changed erratically, and it was halfway within the black planet. Like a pair of bubbles stuck together. Most of the cracks came from this bizarre unity.

Suzy stared at it wide eyed and slack jawed. She didn’t know how to explain it; she didn’t even think such a thing was possible.

But…this didn’t make sense! How could love destroy a person!? She’d been watching over Finn and Kurt, they were perfectly happy together once they got past their insecurities. How…?

How could Finn be killing Kurt?

Apate  
Babylon

Every piece was falling into place.

They reached their destination in the main labs where the Class A patients were kept. She classified them in six categories, three of which she chose to share to the public. Stages one to three defined the side effects of the infected. The others, Classes A, B, and C, defined the ability’s level of power. C were those with simple abilities that held little use like turning objects into different colors or becoming a human glow worm. B were those with more useful abilities like telekinesis, and phasing. Class A patients, however, were those with power that could harm the world as opposed to two or three witnesses. It was power that was devastating, catastrophic and absolutely needed to be controlled. The president of Apate didn’t know of these types until she saw the potential in Dream Wanderers via Suzy. Other types began to pop up, and that’s how she discovered that in a way, she was also Class A.

With her hypnotism, she could have the country eating from the palm of her hand, and it had happened with Laurence on her side. It helped her take her pick of the stand outs amongst the infected without the hassle of dealing with nosy government agents.

For the past ten years things were working out exactly as she envisioned, including Laurence’s breakdown. He’d become irreplaceable as a hypnotist, but she knew internally he was too kind to go through with locking away children from the world and sifting through them like cattle. The point had been to find someone who had a unique ability capable of destroying an entire planet. She’d been given several good candidates, the closest being Marley, but they didn’t fit the descriptions her predecessors left her.

This had to be someone who even a talented empath like Finn Hudson would be unable to properly imitate.

Someone capable of bringing a nightmare like the Clown down to his knees and cower.

The only person able to do this was the very student she ignored in the hallways of McKinley. Tall and slender with perfectly tamed hair and a tongue sharper than a sword…and probably the most vulnerable human on earth.

In a spill of urgency, her scientists and guards helped bring the two last actors to the stage. Finn, still stuck under her spell, and Kurt on a stretcher. Blaine followed behind, his blood guiding the stretcher to the center of the lab where the main capsule stood waiting. She smiled at the teen, her warm greeting doing little to change the blankness of his face.

“I’m guessing you’ve discovered what Kurt is capable of,” she said, walking up to him.

The teen didn’t answer, retracting his blood from the stretcher and allowing the nervous doctors to lift Kurt into the capsule. The president watched as the boy was hooked onto the raised steel board, his head lolled to the side and brows furrowed.

She looked up to the roof where there along the rim was a ring of windows with the shadows of her predecessors looking over her. It had been years since they’d set foot in Babylon, and she wouldn’t have invited them if she didn’t have something special to present. They wouldn’t have come either, if they didn’t owe her so much.

Even from her spot far below the spectators, she could see how nervous they became.

Once Kurt was hooked up and locked in the capsule, she began to guide the lenient Finn to the only empty glass tube of the many lining the circular room. Alice appeared in mid-air, landing with a click of her shoes on the linoleum floor. No words were expressed between the girl and the woman, but a message was clearly exchanged and it put an even brighter smile to the president’s face.

In the main capsule, Kurt stirred weakly, his head heavily lolling to the other side. He grunted and whimpered. The pain of his cold scratched at his throat and added pressure to his already hurting head. His skin felt clammy with cold sweat, his insides burning and begging to reject whatever poison he consumed. He squinted at his surroundings, his migraine growing stronger with the greenish blue colors forcing their way in his vision.

He was inside some kind of glass container filled with a clear liquid. A mask over his mouth was helping him breathe. Whatever this liquid was, it wasn’t stinging his eyes. There were people in white lab coats surrounding him, the details of their faces lost to him. There were other tubes around the room, containing what seemed to be people. One of them was wearing a thick jacket he recognized to be Finn’s. A woman was standing in front of him, her red lipstick standing out against the pallor of her blurred face.

Then he remembered about Babylon. The plan, the train, Unique…where was Unique? They knew they were going to be captured, but the plan had been to sneak out through Kitty’s ability once surveillance passed. The cell they were supposed to be in shouldn’t have been some weird glass tube…

Growing more alert, Kurt mustered the strength to lift his head. He tried to move, but he was strapped from his limbs to his waist against an inclined steel board. As panic started to rise, he pulled against the restraints. His vision began to clear despite the liquid trying to it, and he looked again at Finn, hoping to see some kind of message in his eyes.

The other boy was very still in his container, horror and dazedness mixed on his face. Closer to Kurt was an apathetic Blaine and further off in a black winter coat was…

Kurt’s eyes widened. Artie…

He was standing.

“Well, now that our star is awake I believe it’s time to begin our play,” the woman stepped away and looked up at the ceiling with a cruel smile. “Some thirty years ago this company began with an ambitious mission to end all illness in the world.”

Kurt recognized her. She was a teacher at McKinley, she came from a different school with a questionable track record. Rumor had it she slept with a student and had a drug problem…

“The idea was to _reverse_ the damaged gene by changing its code through the manipulation of DNA,” her voice echoed through the lab. So unlike the tone she used in class, this woman was unrecognizable. “While some tests proved fruitful, there have been too many failures to actually feel any victory. All subjects – apes – died before their illnesses could be cured. It wasn’t until the discovery of Pollen that successes became consistent and the experiments graduated to humans.” Her smile slowly slipped and Kurt felt a chill up his spine. “I was the first success.”

Who was she talking to? Kurt looked at the ceiling and saw the observation deck above. Shadows behind the windows were fidgeting from her words.

“The Alice Syndrome cured a cancer in me when I was a child,” she explained, walking around the main capsule. Kurt tried to make eye contact again with Finn, but he was squinting them shut, fighting off the last effects of her hypnotism, he didn’t seem aware that he was imprisoned like him. Artie swayed and grabbed the shoulder of a nearby doctor, his face pale.

Where the hell were Kitty and Jake!?

“Unfortunately that cure was a fluke…the first use of Pollen got rid of the cancer, but I suffered an epileptic seizure that should have killed me…the only thing keeping me alive was one simple desire,” she smiled around her employees, “to see my parents again. I recovered, more tests were done,” she waved on, “and then a strange discovery occurred. I told my nurse to kill herself…and she did.”

Kurt froze.

“Hypnotism wasn’t a skill I knew before the experiments. Three more patients were brought in and they developed abilities very unique to them,” she stopped in front of Kurt, her hand on the glass, and smiling again, “we began to think things differently. If pollen can make people unlock special gifts – supernatural gifts – maybe out of the billions of people on the planet, there was one person who could cure anything. We infected more children, went from city to city desperate for this one special person, but by the time we reached over one hundred patients we realized too late that some of these unlocked abilities – these _Class A_ abilities… could destroy more than a planet. They could destroy anything in _existence._ ” She tapped the glass with a well-manicured nail. The sharp sound made Kurt wince. “What we needed to find was no longer an all cure. Now we needed to find someone capable of nullifying these abilities. An anomaly.”

Kurt swallowed nervously. He felt like a bucket of ice cold water had been thrown over him. He looked over her shoulder to Finn again, and found with relief that he was focused now, none of the presidents words seemed to affect him. Artie was nursing a migraine, but he seemed to be his normal self as well. Or normal as he could be, he was still standing, but barely.

Their plan was failing.

The others were nowhere to be found, he was in a creepy glass pod and it seemed as if…as if…

_“This boy is the anomaly you speak of?”_

His breath was coming in quick. He looked up at the windows, shaking his head in denial. No. It couldn’t be...he was just a normal person…! He…

This whole time he’d been nullifying Finn’s abilities. Finn, the empath who’d constantly had his powers on nonstop until Kurt got rid of them through touch. 

He was the anomaly!

_“Brenda, get to the point,”_ one of the people watching over them buzzed in irritably. He had the old scratchy voice of a veteran smoker.

_“Yes, Ms. Castle, your summary is touching, but I’m getting the feeling you haven’t fully explained yourself. If this is all a plot for revenge – ”_

“Revenge?” Brenda Castle laughed, her light trill bouncing off the walls of the quiet room. “If this were revenge I would have forced all of you to kill yourselves as soon as I mastered hypnotism!” her declaration caused the observers to murmur nervously. “My plan is to use the anomaly for a greater purpose. He can cure the Alice Syndrome with just his blood alone, but I believe he had a much better use to the world than just getting rid of our mistakes,” her eyes widened maniacally. “He can unite us all.”

Unite? Kurt pulled against the stubborn straps with renewed force. What the hell did she mean by unite!? Where was Kitty!?

“Kurt Hummel is a Class A Strand Three,” Brenda said, “while his other Class A comrades can potentially end life, he can either save it or destroy it completely. He is a good person who through all his hardships has remained strong and free of petty bitterness unlike all of us here today.”

“What?” Kurt’s throat was completely dry. Where did this woman come from thinking she knew him? He was constantly tormented with bitterness and anger thanks to all the bullying he had to suffer.

“The only thing keeping him from exacting revenge on the world is the one desire we all wish for,” she looked at him and said almost mockingly, “to be loved.”

_“Ms. Castle – ”_

“I’ve brought you here to witness a historic day,” she turned to Finn, not surprised that he broke her spell. Kurt noticed that Artie was nowhere to be found. “In order to unite the world and bring peace to our diseased people, we must remind them that life is too precious to waste.”

“Let him go, Grace,” Finn glared heatedly at her.

Brenda blinked at him and for a split second almost fell under her ability being thrown back at her. She laughed chillingly, “close. You’ll need a few more years practice before you get to my level, dear.”

_“Ms. Castle!”_ an old woman shouted from the intercom, _“if you’re implying what I think you’re implying I order you to stop this instant! You cannot change human nature! Your campaign for peace is flawed!”_

_“Does this mean the chaos in the country is your doing as well?”_ another man spoke up sharply, _“thousands of children are now orphaned! You are committing genocide! We demand that you step down from your post and turn yourself – ”_

“Dinah,” Brenda cut in sweetly.

Over the intercom there was a loud pop, followed by screams. Kurt looked at the windows and saw the observers scurrying away from a crumbling man. They tried to run away, but something kept them escaping. Probably more armed men at the doors. Kurt’s heart leapt to his throat. He wasn’t prepared for that. Someone got killed above him. It happened so fast…!

“Now that I have your attention,” Brenda approached him again. He could feel tears in his eyes, his hands sweating and trembling in fear. Who was he kidding? Their plan to sneak into Apate was suicide from the start. They were going to get killed by people long used to it for a greater purpose. They were nothing but pawns to Apate. They fell right into their hands! “I would like to clear up the confusion my last message left you. Yes, I knew you loved Finn – everyone in McKinley knew this, you’ve done a terrible job of hiding it, and yes I used it against you.”

No. Not this again!

Kurt shut his eyes. Ignore her words. It was all garbage.

“I didn’t know what you were until I got my hands on the Clown, but once I figured it out I toyed with theories of how to really let your ability bloom. Your gift to nullify abilities is the result of your pragmatic views of the world. Imagine what would happen if your greatest dream turned out to be a lie.”

No. She was lying. Why wasn’t Finn doing anything!? He shook his head to shake off the seeds of doubt. Ignore her. Ignore her. He looked to Finn for help. The empath’s face was twisted in frustration, body shoving and jerking in futile against his restraints. He flashed a few times out of existence, attempting to use Kitty or Matt’s ability, but something was keeping him from freeing himself.

“Finn does treasure you, but not in the way you want,” Brenda shook her head, her pout unsympathetic, “I’ve had the Clown manipulate his feelings, whatever he’s felt for you was only artificial. He never loved you.”

“Why are you doing this?” Kurt whimpered his voice weak and parched against the mask, “what did we do to you?” Ignore her! Ignore her!

“No matter what mantra you have in your head, you can’t deny you’ve had doubts,” Brenda tapped the glass again, “as much as you want to trust Finn, you’ve had doubt in your heart and now it’s manifested into the pain you’re experiencing now – look at you.”

He hesitantly did so. His body looked small and awkward strapped to the steel board, but even more alarming was his hands which were covered with little black veins. Tears rolled down his cheeks. What was happening to him!? Was he dying?

Finn…

When he looked at his lover one last time, he saw the strangest sight. A thick darkness was oozing out of the other teen like liquid, spreading throughout the room and frightening the doctors and guards around him. Even Brenda stopped short to look at the phenomenon.

Finn managed to move enough to touch his wrist. There was a word there, but Kurt shut his eyes before he could even remember what it was.

Last he checked, there shouldn’t have been a word there at all…


	27. Trust

The Daydream  
Earlier

The meeting was coming to a close. Finn had already gone through three cups of tea, generously offered by Ella, and the snacks had dwindled down to a few sandwiches and mini cupcakes. Along with it, the plan had now been cleaned up and mended. Finn was now confident enough to go into Babylon.

“There’s not enough time to inform the rest of your team what’s going to happen,” Ella warned, “including Kurt. You’re going in on faith.”

“So long as you guys do what you need to do, that shouldn’t matter,” Finn said, setting down his finished cup. “I’ll see you guys in an hour.”

Ella nodded and faded away, his kitchen vanished and became a park in spring complete with a pond and singing birds. Ella’s daydream had vanished and now the only thing keeping the last three on the same plane was Finn who was still asleep and in control.

“I’ll tell Schue and April what we’re gonna – ” Matt vanished unexpectedly, but Finn no longer worried. It simply meant that Matt was forced awake by an outside source. Hopefully by nothing alarming.

It was only him and Suzy now. He’d been meaning to speak with her, but he couldn’t in front of Matt and Ella. This was between them, and he didn’t know if he should be mad or not.

“The president contacted us in one of the old locations,” he said, looking at her. She was glowing in the sun. Almost like an angel had she not looked so sad. “She said the reason I survived that crash was because you took over my body before it hit…that I was the reason you died.”

Suzy flinched, tears brimming in her eyes. She hadn’t done much while Matt and Ella were around. The plan was formed mainly through them, Suzy just watched and didn’t even pitch in a nod or shake of the head. Finn, who had so far been able to read what she couldn’t say pretty well, found her to be very quiet this time. He was sure he hadn’t sounded hurtful, and yet she looked as though he'd slapped her.

“She…” he paused, not wanting to upset her any further, “she said you…put an image in my head to distract me. Kurt’s image.” Suzy let out a little sigh, clasping her hands in front of her and diverting her eyes to the pond. “Why? Why save me?”

A tear ran down her cheek. Finn waited patiently. The soft breeze turned a little stronger, the birds stopped singing, Suzy’s dress danced against the wind, her mousy hair tickling her tearful face. Then, in a tiny whisper, she spoke inside his head.

_“Let me show you.”_

Finn didn’t have to say anything. He trusted her, so he allowed her.

The park vanished, completely out of his control and he found himself floating bodiless outside a restaurant in Italy in spring midday. Sitting at one of the outdoor tables enjoying lunch was a completely healthy Suzy – for once in simple jeans and t-shirt. Across from her was Matt, still in his dark clothes and moody face. It was melted only slightly with Suzy there to accompany him.

It occurred to Finn that Matt was too grim for this scenery to have been long ago. He hadn’t heard much from him, but Finn was pretty sure the pair never went to Italy, especially if at this point they were prisoners in Apate.

This was most likely Matt’s dream. Or rather, a memory of a dream.

“Ella says I’m almost ready to get in the network,” Suzy said, fidgeting in her seat.

Matt set down his coffee with a clang. “That’s not – you can’t – ”

“If I have to contact everyone like us, the network’s the best option!” Suzy cut him off sharply. Matt shut his mouth and scowled at the ignorant passerby. Suzy’s shoulders sagged, “I know it’s dangerous.”

“You could die,” he glared at her. Only the silence between them and Suzy’s stubborn gaze softened him. “Suzy…” he flushed and tried to form the right words. His mouth hesitating in embarrassment. “…I don’t want to lose you.” He ducked his head and mumbled, “I can’t lose you.”

The wanderer reached across the small table and took his hand, squeezing it gently. “There’s not enough time to find someone else like me…” Matt shook his head, eyes glued to their joined hands. Finn watched in awe as the silence between them persisted. Any outsider could tell they were very close. Communicating without words, the darkness in their eyes sharing a haunted past. They were completely comfortable with not saying anything, and it was becoming clearer to Finn exactly how much pain Matt was going through now that Suzy was dead.

“You said there’s someone at McKinley,” Matt broke the silence.

Suzy sighed softly and shook her head. “He’s not aware of it. He needs training, and – ”

“And he’s an empath.”

Suzy set her jaw, “If you’re suggesting that he go in the network instead, that would require looking for an immortal! I don’t even know if they exist! We don't even know a healer!”  
“It’s still a shot!” Matt insisted, leaning over the table, “who is he? I’ll take him to Ella, if he’s an empath that means he’s a fast learner – training shouldn’t take that long. He goes in, we find the others, and we bring down Apate. You _live_. Where’s the flaw?”

“He _just_ started using his ability – he doesn’t even realize it,” Suzy snapped, snatching her hand back, “I tried visiting him, but his nightmares always block me out, Ella can’t even get in touch with him. He’s terrified and…” she fidgeted again, distracting herself by taking a sip from her orange juice.

Matt sat back, watching her carefully as she looked anywhere but him. “Who is he?” he asked again, “I know him don’t I?”

She worried her bottom lip again, glanced at him, then grimaced. “It’s Finn.”

Matt raised his eyebrows. His jaw slackened and all the fire he had snuffed out. “Finn…” he muttered. “That’s…”

“His dreams and nightmares are much stronger than mine were when I first started out,” Suzy said gravely, boring her eyes into Matt’s. “If he’s trained right, he _can_ go in the network and survive. But he’s easily taken by his nightmares, overcoming them would require a vast amount of courage he currently doesn’t have. If he even manages to get in the network with that kind of baggage – ”

“It would give him too much mental strain and he could die,” Matt finished in defeat. “How special are these nightmares?”

“Apart from being residual fears of outsiders. He’s got a wanderer tailing him,” was the heavy answer. “The black and white clown that’s been messing with victims.”

“Shit.”

“I don’t even think Ella can help him, Finn has no confidence in fighting the clown off,” Suzy watched as Matt swore under his breath again and rubbed his eyes agitatedly. “I’m the only wanderer strong enough to go in the network…it’s the only way,” she took his hand again. “We need to stop the suicides, Matt.”

He ran his thumb over her pale knuckles. Probably memorizing every detail in his head. Finn recognized that look whenever he caught Kurt watching him. It sent a funny feeling in his gut that he was able to relate to a simple gaze. “Be careful,” was all Matt could say.

“I will,” Suzy smiled warmly, “now wake up.”

Matt straightened up indignantly and opened his mouth in protest, but the next second he vanished leaving Suzy in a sunlit bedroom decorated in pepper paraphernalia and piles of books littering the only desk in the room. There were boxes in one corner with unpacked oddities poking out. The room was very plain overall, as if it was just starting to become lived in. Or rather, as if the person who lived here was finally letting people in her heart. Finn instantly knew where they were.

Suzy’s comfort zone.

The owner herself walked around the room, picking up and putting down some of the things that didn’t quite match the décor, but which she deeply treasured. When she reached a McKinley letterman jacket sitting on the desk chair, she hugged it and buried her face in it.

She was scared. Finn could tell.

Putting the jacket back, she squared her shoulders and went to the door. “It’s going to be okay,” she told herself before opening the door.

The world on the other side was morbidly familiar. A colorful world with a yellow brick road where Finn had walked with a blonde little girl for a land he couldn’t care to remember.

Suzy swore loudly and approached the only pair walking on the road, a fire burning in her eyes that wiped away her fear.

Finn watched himself with Alice, feeling deep embarrassment over how giddy he was now that the hallucinations were gone. Alice shared his enthusiasm, their clasped hands swinging as they skipped down the road.

Suzy cut in front of them, but the entranced Finn didn’t notice, and kept walking. Alice stop short, however, and scowled. Suzy took one look at Alice and raised her hand, a sword appearing in her hand in a flash of light. The same kind of light as when Finn called forth ‘Knight Kurt’. Without hesitation she swung it down and sliced Alice in half.

“You’re too late,” Alice sang just before vanishing. Her giggling laughter echoing after her.

Suzy’s face crumpled in horror. She ran after Finn, the sword disappearing just as quickly as it appeared, and grabbed his arm, pulling him back with all her strength. To no avail, Finn continued walking, even as she wrapped her arms around his waist to keep him immobile.

“Stop! Stop!” she yelled at him, “Wake up Finn! You’re going to die! Wake up!”

He still didn’t stop. Walking down the endless road as if in a spell. Suzy ran in front of him this time and pushed her hands against his chest. He staggered a little, but he swatted her away and went on. Not discouraged, Suzy made a sharp swing with her hand towards the sky, causing the bricks in front of Finn to fly up and form a wall. He paused uncertainly.

Then he held his hand out, created a sword just like Suzy’s, and struck down the wall in one swing.

Suzy gawked at him. Hope melting over her face. “You’re half dreaming…” she chased him again, “Finn, focus, you’re in control of your dream, you can wake up whenever you want – _wake up now!”_

No matter what she said or did, he continued to ignore her. The road was coming to a close and at the end was a cliff waiting ominously for them. The closer they got the more desperate Suzy became. At this point she had done everything from using flying monkeys, to murderous monsters in order to snap Finn awake, but each time Finn managed to copy her methods and fight them off with no effort at all.

Many expressions flittered across her face until tears started spilling. She stared at her hands, trembling and curling into fists. She grabbed both sides of Finn’s head and used what power she had left. Her hands gripped his head tightly until they literally sank inside like dipping into sand.

The road disappeared and reappeared several times, each reappearance becoming weaker for the interior of a familiar car driving down a lonely road at night. Images spilled from Finn’s head, swirling around them so fast it was hard to pick out what was what. 

“If you die…” Suzy ground out between gritted teeth, “this is what you’ll leave behind!” She grunted and whimpered, forcing herself beyond her limit, “please…remember what you treasure most…!”

Suzy cried out in pain, electric currents snapping out from her sunken hands. The images stuttered to a stop. In front of Finn was a moving image of Kurt in the suit he wore for the wedding of their parents. Smiling bashfully as Finn sang to him in front of the entire reception.

The dream vanished and Finn only had a second to realize where he was before he shuddered violently and fell back against the car seat. The episode was so short though, that in the next second he was sitting up again, more alert and ready for the impact of the approaching tree.

Except it wasn’t Finn.

The reflection on the rearview mirror didn’t show Finn. It was Suzy. She spun the wheel to hit the tree from the passenger side, then shielded herself from the flying shards of glass, her body braced for impact. When the drama was over, Finn’s body lay very still, shuddering briefly as Suzy left him.

The scene of the accident was gone, and now Finn found himself in a dark bedroom much like Suzy’s comfort zone. There were no unpacked boxes, and no letterman jacket. It looked almost empty and sad.

“No…”

Finn looked at the only bed in the room. There were two Suzy’s. One who lay immobile in her bed, and another who was grayer and draped over her, weeping freely. She sobbed and held the other’s head like she’d done with Finn, but nothing happened and Suzy only cried harder. There was no turning back from what she’d done…

_“I visited you on a whim.”_

Finn jumped, then realized he had a body again. They were back in the park, and Suzy was quietly feeding some ducks pieces of bread. Contrary to the mourning Suzy who Finn had just witnessed, she looked more at peace now.

She continued talking, but her mouth didn’t move. _“I thought if I didn’t survive the network, you would already be training as a back-up. I didn’t think I’d be able to find you in the dream world, but I was lucky that night. Unfortunately, Alice got to you before I did…”_

Finn sat down next to her. One of the ducks quirked its head at him curiously, pecked his sneaker, then went back to nibbling his free lunch. “I wasn’t strong enough.”

_“You were too strong,”_ Suzy corrected, tossing the rest of her crumbs. _“You had so much power you didn’t know what to do with it…Ella should have trained you first. You’ve proven to be a fast enough learner. Much faster than me.”_

Finn shook his head. Suzy still died. If he had been more aware of his abilities before the accident…if he didn’t listen to Alice….There might have been a chance. Suzy didn’t deserve this. Matt didn’t deserve this.

_“Please don’t shoulder my loss,”_ Suzy smiled at him gently, _“I don’t regret my decision anymore. Out of both of us, you had a better chance of getting to Babylon than me. You’ve already saved hundreds of lives.”_

He tugged a knee close to his chest, “Thanks. For showing me.” He stared at his sneakers, his vision beginning to blur. “But I couldn’t have gotten this far without you.”

One of the bolder ducks settled comfortably on Suzy’s lap, nuzzling its neck against her stomach. It was the strangest behavior out of a duck Finn had ever seen and it made him laugh a bit hysterically, the dam starting to crack.

_“Never forget those you treasure,”_ Suzy touched his shoulder, her hand warm with life she no longer had. Finn sniffled and looked at the images popping up around him, swirling gently around both wanderers like butterflies. Each a moving picture of every person he met in his life. _“Remember that you aren’t alone.”_

Rachel singing in an empty auditorium with him.

Puck laughing at a joke they shared.

Matt, Mike, Quinn. Everyone.

His mother, his friends, the neighbors, even the cat that prowled the streets at night.

And there was Kurt, smiling and laughing. His hands reached out for him…

Kurt, who wasn’t a random image Suzy pulled up, but who was truly the one Finn treasured most. And it was thanks to her he wouldn’t have to die wondering what could have been.

“Thank you,” he quivered, unable to stop the tears that kept pouring out.

The Network  
Present

He'd made a promise to him. He knew too much time would be wasted if he went back in again. Whether Suzy or Ella would be able to save Kurt didn’t matter to Finn. He saw the state Kurt was in, he knew if he didn’t jump in immediately he’d lose him forever. Brenda’s words kept repeating like a nightmare in his head. They would have done more damage if he hadn’t spoken with Suzy earlier.

Whatever Brenda planned to do with him and Kurt meant nothing. Even before Suzy told him the truth, he didn’t care how he'd fallen in love with Kurt, what mattered was that he didn’t want anyone else. He had no lingering doubt of his feelings for Kurt.

But he was afraid that the other boy still clung to that stupid belief that what they had was a lie.

And Brenda knew it.

…No.

She didn’t just know it, she set everything up so that Kurt _would_ feel nothing but doubt. She triggered him right where it hurt, and now it was literally eating him up.

Finn floated before the mega planet that was his lover. There were millions of cracks across its black surface. The chains drifting away in broken fragments. Glowing in her yellow body suit, Suzy hung a few feet away, her arms thrown out in front of her as a weird ghostly mist blew from her hands to the planet.

_“Finn…”_ her face was desperate. _“He’s going supernova! He’s going to kill everyone!”_

He flew closer to the planet. No…it wasn’t too late. He had to do something. What could he do? How could he stop a giant planet from blowing up?

Throwing out his hands like Suzy, he tried to recall that strange power he used to save the blue planet. Whatever he did, it helped it, now he had to use it again.

More cracks crawled across the surface.

_“What happened to the Clown? Apate? Why are you here?”_ Suzy glared at him demandingly.

“He’s the anomaly,” he managed to say through gritted teeth. “The president kept… _egging_ him on about what…” he grimaced, “what Artie did.”

Mist sprung out of his hands and flew toward the planet. Some cracks closed up, but more were spreading. Both Suzy and Finn’s combined powers weren’t enough…

Kurt was going to die…

_“It’s doubt,”_ Suzy floated closer to him, _“Kurt’s feelings are highly in tune with his ability. He loves you, but he doesn’t believe you love him…his ability is trying to erase him…”_

Brenda said something about reminding the world of how precious life was. One of the people arguing with her said she was committing genocide. And Suzy had just said a second ago…

Whatever Kurt’s ability was, it was capable of destroying the world, and Brenda knew exactly how to trigger it. She…she set up their relationship just to break Kurt and kick start the ticking time bomb that was waiting inside him. In a few minutes the rest of the world was going to suffer punishment at the hands of his stepbrother.

The planet was falling apart, but it wasn’t gone. He couldn’t fix it from the outside, he needed to jump in just like he did with Artie.

“If I manage to save Kurt, the plan can still work, the others should still be moving on to the next phases,” he floated closer to the dark planet’s atmosphere.

_“And the Clown?”_

Just before diving in, he threw her a nod, “he’s ready.”

The Clown  
Earlier

The chains holding Artie would not budge. Finn tried everything from pulling them apart barehanded to creating swords and guns to blast them off. Nothing worked, and despite all the noise he made Artie didn’t react. Kneeling motionless on the pile of garbage like a doll.

There was one way he could help, but…

Finn shook his shoulders roughly, “Artie, wake up, I’m here! Help me get you out of these chains!” He didn’t even spare him a glance, his face completely blank. Clenching his jaw, Finn smacked him smartly across the face, but even that didn’t help. Not knowing what else to do, Finn went back to pulling at the chains. His mind was short circuiting, he couldn’t think of anything that could help his friend. Ella had only told him to jump in and get the Clown on their side. He was never told _how_ he should do it.

Artie was the Clown.

Finn’s hands were shaking. They dropped to his sides in defeat.

He thought Artie was in Apate with the others. If not, then at least hiding away somewhere. This whole time the star of his nightmares, the one who hacked his brain like a computer…was Artie. The creature who screamed giddily at his pain. Who invaded his mind and trashed his emotions…

Finn wanted to be angry, but he couldn’t. Artie was a good friend. Everything they went through in glee club, and surviving the daily tortures of high school, there were too many good memories for Finn to ever see him as evil. He couldn’t even believe Artie had done the things he’d done, not without the puppet master Brenda Castle. And as much as he hated the Clown there was one thing he did right.

“I…wanted to thank you,” Finn mumbled, staring at his reddened hands, “it would have taken me years to figure everything out.” He paused and shook his head, “Maybe not. Maybe I would have grown old and died never realizing what I felt for Kurt. You made everything easier.” He felt bitter and barked a laugh, “you helped me realize I loved Kurt, Suzy saved my life and I can’t go anywhere for long without Kurt to block my hallucinations. Now a bunch of kids are helping me infiltrate an institution..." He broke off. "I can’t do anything by myself, can I?”

He really couldn’t. He’d been stumbling his way through this journey from Lima to New York, and he'd survived through the aid of complete strangers.

His hands curled into tight fists. “Artie. I need your help.”

Lima  
Present

It was impossible for the hospital to hold so many injured. The hallways were stuffed with unconscious parents, and sobbing teens. Nurses and doctors ran back and forth working up a sweat. The few who weren’t grieving steeled themselves against the disarray and helped out as much they could with their abilities. Military officials had to throw in a helping hand as well, carrying away bodies that could no longer fight against injuries, and moving stretchers to surgery rooms.

Amid all the noise, Rachel and the others managed to cool off in one of the rooms where other patients with lesser wounds were being looked after. They were huddled in a corner around Mike’s bed. Puck was in the neighboring bed, with Brittany sitting by him nursing her headache. No one spoke, their moods much darker than a few hours ago. Gathering bodies had been an eye opener for them, and there was a shadow of guilt hanging over them that they were secretly happy none of the bodies they found were those of their parents.

Rachel sat by Mike, her hands neatly on her lap. She was still wearing the jacket she'd borrowed from the nurse only it was now stained in blood and other body fluids. The smell of it had long gone away for her and everyone else in the room. She felt numb, but not as bad as how she felt for the boy lying comatose on the bed.

“Did you guys know he revived me?” she asked quietly. Her voice was exactly how she felt; small and lost.

The group stirred uncomfortably at the question, but eventually they shook their heads.

“After you…died,” Tina spoke up, “he said he had to go to the bathroom. We all figured he needed to be alone for a minute,” she hung her head, hiding her face, “the next time we saw him he seemed more sick. I thought it was because your death hit him hard…I didn’t know he…”

Rachel watched the heart monitor. Mike’s pulse was very weak. Nurses had done everything they could to keep him alive, now it was all on him to wake up. He looked so pale and gaunt, already so corpse-like save for the slow rise and fall of his chest.

If it wasn’t for him. She wouldn’t be breathing right now.

Her skin crawled with that reality. She was grateful. So grateful she could barely move. She pictured so many scenarios of how her parents would grieve for her, her dreams broken, her friends no longer able to create memories with her. She wouldn’t get to see Finn again. Never sing and dance again.

She was eternally grateful to Mike.

So much that she could no longer bottle it up, and sobbed hard into her hands.

The Network  
Kurt

When Finn entered Artie’s mind, he was prepared for the gritty dark world with its dilapidated buildings and eerie skies. The Clown was a manifestation of nightmares, Finn had trained himself so he wouldn’t be helpless the next time he faced him; he knew how to handle that world. Kurt’s world was different.

There was no world.

Once he let himself get sucked into the planet’s atmosphere, Finn was expecting to land in a room or a street like he had so many times when visiting others dreams. When he stepped into Kurt’s world, all there was to see was darkness.

Except for what lay at the core of it all.

Kurt himself was sitting in an intricate silver birdcage covered in locks of different sizes and chains. He was rocking back and forth, arms wrapped tightly around his legs. Finn floated close to him, only to hover back in surprise at the shockingly intense waves of emotions knocking into him. They were too fast for him to decipher each feeling, but he got the general sense of negativity that he encountered the first time he entered the network.

Thousands of people pushing their negative thoughts at him was nothing compared to the intensity coming from Kurt. It was triple that. Finn looked helplessly at the trapped boy. He didn’t have to think hard about why this world was in the state it was in. Yet, it was heartbreaking to see that despite all the smiles Kurt put up, he never spared a clue to what really went on in his mind.

How on earth did he manage to wake up every day and walk on his own two feet?

Steeling himself, Finn floated closer, his body shuddering against the negative energy punching through him.

_‘Alone…’_

_‘Stay away’_

_‘No more…’_

_‘Ugly…ugly…I’m ugly…’_

_‘Leave me…’_

He had to free him from the cage somehow. There were so many locks though, did he need to create keys to unlock them? Even if it didn’t look like it, he was in Kurt's dream world. That meant he could create material. Keys would be a simple matter…

But was it really that easy?

Finn stretched his hands out toward the cage, little bits of gold light flickering from his fingers, forming into skeleton keys. They flew carefully into the locks and turned effortlessly. Finn waited with baited breath for the chains to fall away. Instead he was rewarded with the keys blasting away into nothingness.

_‘Leave me! Leave…leave…!’_ Kurt’s ghostly screams echoed angrily.

“I want to help you!” Finn yelled back. The boy in the cage didn’t budge or show any sign of hearing him. He continued to rock back and forth, nails digging into pale skin.

Finn looked at the locks again, trying to think back to all the metaphorical lessons Ella had given him. He knew about the comfort zone, and self-awareness in dreams, what could he do with a person locked in a cage?

Kurt couldn’t have always been like this. He was too confident and caring to have a mind so dark. Whatever Brenda said intensified the locks he put on himself. This cage was like his own comfort zone, small and secure, even if it was lonely…

If this had been going on for a long time, did that mean everything they shared had been fake? That Kurt was only pretending to be happy even though he was locking himself away from happiness in his heart?

_‘Lies…lies, lies! It’s garbage! It’s all lies!’_

So many locks…what did he need to do to release them?

Kurt was suffering…this whole time he stayed quiet and supported him without asking anything in return…Kurt had been his shoulder to lean on…

“Why didn’t you tell me anything!?” he cried, torn between anger and guilt. His burst of emotion shot him straight to the cage, fists banging on the silver bars. The torrent of negativity blasted through him like a thousand needles scraping into his skin. As painful as it was, Finn’s only focus was on Kurt, tears of pain floating out into zero gravity atmosphere. Not wanting to be pushed away again, he held a death grip on the bars, gritting his teeth and trying not to let his head fill with the pain.

_‘She’s lying…it’s garbage…’_

“Kurt!” Finn coughed, pushing past the numbness crawling over his body. “If I don’t…help…you’ll die…!”

Arm’s snaked around his neck and pulled back. He tried to hold tighter on the bars, but whoever it was pulled him away easily. With nothing to keep him stationary, Finn flew back several feet, stopping only by a blow to the gut that had him flying upwards.

Healing himself, Finn focused on Matt’s ability and jumped away from another kick coming for his face, reappearing closer to the cage. Gasping from the shock, he tried to find the culprit, eyes widening against the darkness.

_“He doesn’t love you…you are nothing…die…no one wants you!”_

That wasn’t Kurt. Finn spotted a dark figure floating a few feet above the cage and jumped to them. Now away from the cage he was able to clear the fog in his head. That is until a pair of hands curled around his neck and squeezed.

Straining under the need to breathe and spots dotting his vision, Finn tried to put a face on his attacker. They didn’t seem human, melting into the darkness with only gray lines to give them a male figure. He was close enough that Finn could sort of make out the details of his face.

_“He doesn’t love you, Kurt…”_

Wait a minute. Finn was so shocked he forgot to breathe.

_“When he sees her, he’ll leave you…”_

The gray lines were thickening into a gray face. Pitch black frighteningly familiar eyes staring back at him.

He was staring at himself.

Babylon

It had been hours since she woke up in her cell with a mask covering her mouth. The last thing she remembered was standing outside of an empty house with Dr. Hope and Quinn. Her friend had been shot right in front of them just after her skin turned blue. Mercedes had gotten no word of her status, and the whole time she’d been going from being scared about Quinn’s status, to worrying about whether anyone was searching for her.

Nothing in the cell could tell her where she was. The bars keeping her prisoner showed her an empty stone hallway on the other side. There wasn’t even a guard standing watch; she was completely alone. It was like a dungeon cell in the basement of an old building. Being strapped to a chair and the mask preventing her from screaming, she felt like Hannibal Lector.

Despite her anxiety, she found herself dozing off after being immobile for so long. The only thing keeping her from completely passing out was the fear that someone was going to come in and start experimenting on her.

She almost had a heart attack when two kids around her age suddenly appeared in front of her.

“Mercedes Jones?” Kitty asked, hand to her hip. The glint in her eyes showed mirth in the prisoner’s reaction. “Finn sent us.”

Mercedes’s eyes widened. Finn knew where she was!? Who were these people!?

The girl grabbed her arm, “stand up.” Mercedes gave her a scathing glare in return. “Just trust me.”

Feeling ridiculous, and yet hopeful, she did as she was told. The straps keeping her in place didn’t hold her down. She didn’t even feel them as she stood up. Startled, she looked back at the chair. The straps were still in place. What kind of magic trick…?

“All right, we need to find the other one,” Jake took Kitty’s other hand. “She’s not in the cell’s so she might be with – ”

“What the hell’s taking so long!?” another kid approached the cell, right in the middle of transforming from a guard to a girl. Mercedes felt like she was staring at her twin. “can we please get a move on? Security’s gonna figure out we’re here. I’m not getting tranquilized again!”

The older teen looked between the three teens, completely lost and wishing someone would explain what was happening. “Please tell me you brought an army.”

The Clown  
Earlier

He didn’t want to do this, but there was nothing left and they were running out of time. Finn stepped back and Kurt the Knight appeared next to him. Artie’s eyes snapped to the glowing illusion. He didn’t move, but he seemed to be alert now. Kurt swung his sword over the chains, finally breaking them. The freed boy fell on top of the garbage, looking from Kurt to Finn.

Then black smoke oozed out of him, wrapping around his body and dressing him up to the neck in darkness.

He was still Artie, though. And he didn’t make an effort to get back up.

Finn kneeled down and cradled his head, “Artie – ”

Several images invaded his vision. There were flashes of nightmares Finn had except in Artie’s point of view. Killing Quinn in her house just before Finn and Kurt arrived as cops, the circus when they were all clowns and Artie made his introduction in the form of a toy car…

Many more nightmares buzzed by, much more gruesome than the ones Finn experienced. Kids his age getting murdered at the hands of his friend. Slow, torturous deaths. Blood and bones spilling everywhere, screams numbing his ears…

Finn dropped Artie from the shock. His hands were clammy and shaking. Kurt was still with them, he kneeled down as well and pressed his palm against Artie’s forehead.

The immobile boy jumped to life. He screamed and writhed in pain. Twisting and turning on the ground. The darkness encasing his body began to rip away. His screams turned hoarse until he couldn’t scream anymore. Finn watched frozen on the spot. There were emotions echoing off of Artie. Feelings of guilt stabbing through him, fear and sadness.

_“…I killed them…”_

_“…I’m a murderer…"_

Finn became so overwhelmed that tears began to freely spill. He felt paralyzed. Slowly understanding what Artie had been going through. He wanted to say something to comfort him, but he couldn’t find his voice. His throat was too knotted up.

_“You are not a killer.”_ Kurt spoke, his voice reverberating over the junkyard.

The last dregs of darkness left Artie’s body, leaving him frail and breathing heavily. His nightmares were still spinning in Finn’s head, but as he looked at Artie on the ground, he couldn’t match him to the killer in his head. Nothing about him hinted at him ever being the Clown.

Kurt disappeared and with him, the rest of the desolate world, leaving the two in a small bedroom filled with books and a familiar wheelchair set a few feet away from the bed.

Finn never thought Artie’s comfort zone would be so plain…

“Finn?”

He snapped his attention to the bed. Artie was still in a sorry state, but he seemed more awake than what he seemed before.

“What’s going on?” he wasn’t wearing his glasses, yet he was looking at him clearly, and from the way he was moving to get out of his bed, his legs weren’t paralyzed.

“I need your help,” Artie looked around the room in a daze, “I’m about to enter Apate, they have Quinn and Mercedes.” Artie frowned at him. Finn wasn’t sure if he knew what he was saying. How long was he under that woman’s spell? Since before Apate issued the quarantines? “We don’t have much time, and…and Kurt’s really sick…”

Artie eyes softened. Maybe he did remember something.

“She said he was a ticking time bomb,” Artie murmured. “She planted something in his head…”

“Wh-what?” Finn was taken aback, so Artie did remember everything.

The smaller teen’s face hardened. “What did you want me to do?”

Relief flooded Finn. “I need an army,” and because he knew he wouldn’t get another opportunity, “can you teach me how to manipulate minds?”

Artie glared at him, “My ability shouldn’t – ”

“I know,” he had the same feelings as well, having been Artie’s first victim, “but there are a lot of people killing each other in reality. I have to stop it somehow.”

His friend turned away to the wheelchair sitting a few feet away. He looked lonely. “I’m sorry…” he shook his head, “my ability shouldn’t be used by anyone.”

“But – ”

“I’ll do it myself.”

Finn fell silent.

“I owe you that,” he continued. “For everything I’ve done. But…” he stood up, and now that he was himself, the sight was shocking. They were in a dream, of course, anything was possible. But it didn’t stop Finn’s eyes from widening. “My mas…” his jaw tightened. “Castle. She plans on doing something big, and it involves Kurt. I think…” he shook his head, “I think she wants to reset humanity. A cure all to disease. End wars. Bring peace to humanity.”

“Reset…” Finn mumbled, unable to wrap his head around the word.

Artie nodded grimly. “She’s going to commit mass genocide.”

The Network  
Kurt

Finn’s shock quickly went away as he looked at his doppelganger. There were a few differences between them, the other him was paler with wider irises that made him look inhuman. He had no expression, just emptiness in his eyes. Like a dead version of himself. If this was how Kurt envisioned him…

_“He doesn’t love you…love you…”_ his lips weren’t moving, but the voice was definitely coming from him. Before Finn could react, he was sent careening backwards once again.

“Shit!” he grunted, forcing himself to a stop. This was ridiculous, now he had to fight himself? He clenched his fists. This was probably the old Finn that used to bully Kurt.

The copy floated over and stood at the roof of Kurt’s cage, black emotionless eyes on him. He was waiting for another attack.

This made no sense. Finn looked helplessly from his twin to the caged prisoner. None of this made sense at all. Kurt always exuded confidence despite the life he endured and yet his world was nothing but darkness. Even if the negative things in his life affected him in some way, it shouldn’t have been enough to take over the rest of the good things that happened. Finn couldn’t believe Kurt was that good of an actor to hide away so much pain.

And if he envisioned Finn like the figure standing over him, how in the hell did he allow him to be so close?

Finn took a few deep breaths. He needed to calm down and think this over. This wasn’t right. What Kurt was going though wasn’t natural, not even because of his ability. He’d seen what negativity did to Artie’s world. This was…

He looked at the cage again.

Artie had been imprisoned by chains.

Kurt was being imprisoned in a cage.

“These aren’t your feelings at all,” Finn murmured to himself. Of course not. Artie said Castle planted something in Kurt’s head and this was it. A virus that would trigger Kurt into using his ability on a global scale. What Artie did to him, Brenda did to Kurt on a more subtle level. His planet was never supposed to be this big, it was the virus that did it by surrounding him in more and more lies of being unloved and abandoned. The chains had to be Kurt’s unconscious attempt to keep the lies from getting worse.

That meant…that up until Brenda gave him the one lie that he didn’t want to hear, Kurt believed that Finn loved him.

It also had to mean that this had been going on far longer than Finn’s first trip into the Network. Brenda knew exactly what Kurt could do and played dumb the whole time so Kurt wouldn’t figure it out and erase the lies himself.

“Kurt!” Finn flew towards the cage. His darker version jumped and dove at him. “It’s me! I’m the real Finn! Keep believing in me! I love you! – Urgh!” the darker Finn grabbed him by the waist and flew him back.

The Kurt in the cage slowly looked up.

Encouraged, Finn pushed against the doppelganger, rushing closer to Kurt. “I love you!” he yelled again, “Break open the cage! You’re not alone anymore I’ll help you get rid of all these lies!”

The caged boy crawled closer to the bars, reaching his hand out between them. Straining against the fake Finn, the empath stretched his hand out to Kurt.

The Network

Suzy watched helplessly as the cracks in Kurt’s world continued to spread. After Finn dove in, his world returned to where it had been. Crashing into Kurt’s world. She could feel what was happening inside. Finn figured out that Castle had been the main cause to Kurt’s current condition, he was fixing it…

But.

Finn’s planet was hurting Kurt’s.

The darkness around where the two planets met was dissipating away.

Suzy’s eyes widened.

She was wrong.

Finn wasn’t hurting Kurt. He was forcing his way in to get rid of Castle’s influence. The chains that had previously been around the planet had been Kurt’s effort to protect himself…

What Suzy was doing was healing the president’s spell over Kurt! The darkness was her! Biting her lip, Suzy let go of her hold on the planet and let Finn take care of the rest.

In an instant the darkness cracked further and exploded, revealing a much smaller and normal planet of blues and greens.

A planet bursting with happiness at its freedom.

Babylon  
Present

They had to leave the woman Sam brought with him in the car. It was hidden in the shadows of a few trees in a parking lot. It was empty outside apart from them, so they hoped no one would be snooping around.

“I’d better not get arrested for this, because if I do I’m going to tell the cops you kidnapped me.”

Matt rolled his eyes. It seemed that sleep deprivation resulted in a twice as sassy April. Better than angry, he wasn’t sure how he would deal with that. “If we get arrested this place should be proof enough to get us out of prison.”

Getting inside Babylon headquarters felt like something straight out of the comics. It wasn’t an eyesore amongst the quiet streets of what appeared like a peaceful neighborhood. The building itself was a functional humble drugstore off the corner of a street filled with homes of retirees. It wasn’t a corporate named store either, just a small business with a legitimate license to issue prescription or over the counter drugs. Laurence even said the store was connected to a massive network of medical professionals from every field in existence.

What better way to distribute Pollen than by getting it handed to you by the doctor you trust?

“The doctors themselves don’t know about Pollen being in the drugs, of course,” Laurence explained, catching Ryder about to take another swing at him. “We’ve distributed Pollen a number of different ways, ventilation is just easier since it infects several people in one shot rather than a select few at a time. Putting Pullen in prescription drugs was an older and more controlled method,” he grimaced, “it was meant to target adults. Obviously that didn’t go in Apate’s favor seeing as it did little to nothing. Teenagers became the main guinea pigs after that.”

Matt looked around the shop in disgust. It was closed, Laurence had to use his ID card to get them through the door, but even in darkness he could only see that it was the same as any other small drugstore. Each aisle was for different kinds of ailments, and all shelves were covered in bottles upon bottles of pills to keep the pain away.

They didn’t see much of anything special until they went into the manager’s office and cleared past the security door residing in the personal bathroom.

The secret door led them to a dark hallway that broke away into another one made of glass that showed several different rooms on the other side.

They passed by recreation rooms, training rooms, extended gardens filled with the same flowers, and lab rooms with scientists that only had eyes for whatever they were studying. Matt would have been nervous and started jumping had he not been in Laurence’s company.

The fact that the man was disheveled and looked like he’d been run over by a garbage truck didn’t seem to alarm anyone they passed by, including security guards.

‘He’s calmed down enough to use his hypnosis on them,’ Matt deduced, staring at the back of the older man’s head.

The hypnotist reached a doorway at the end of the hall. “The cells should be – ”

The entire building shook.

Laurence burst open the door. “Get in!”

The group rushed through, following Laurence down a narrow hallway that curved right and opened up into a wider hall full of steel doors not unlike the solitary confinement cells in the Lima institution. Once the building stopped shaking, the group tried to calm down.

“I’m assuming that wasn’t an earthquake?” April asked Laurence.

“Is that Finn’s group?” he asked Matt.

The jumper was looking at the ceiling where a large crack had formed, “no idea.”

“All right then. Sam?” Laurence gestured to the doors.

Stepping forward, Sam held his hands out. There were lines in his vision that connected to weak points in all the doors. Grabbing a huge chunk of lines that crossed one another, he pulled effortlessly. The doors creaked and moaned, falling over in heavy heaps.

Matt stared at Sam, feeling a little queasy. That was way too much power…

Unaffected, Laurence walked up to the nearest cell. Unlike the solitary confinement cells in Lima, which were better suited for prisons, these were personalized bedrooms. Each had their own bathrooms and even little tables to have meals. The person inside was a young man. He was lying on his bed, twitching and unaware of the uninvited guests.

“He’s been dosed recently,” Laurence muttered in disappointment, “I don’t think I can get him out of…” he trailed off. The boy was convulsing now. It was a normal reaction, but he could tell the teen was fighting the pollen rather than letting it consume him. Matt joined him, brows knitted in concern.

Eventually the convulsing stopped and the boy collapsed on his bed, breathing heavily. He looked up at Laurence and Matt amidst his exhaustion, clearly confused.

Laurence bit back a gasp. Both eyes were blue. Perfectly normal. He'd fought off the drug’s influence!

“How…?”

“The Clown,” Matt answered for him. “Finn’s got him on our side.” He turned on his heel and went to the other cells. “We have our army.”

In Which Several Things Happen at Once

The original plan had been for Finn to allow himself to get captured, keeping Brenda distracted enough for the others to follow and infiltrate the building. Kitty and Jake would get Mercedes and Quinn out, and then come in and get Finn. Ryder and Matt would be back up in case they needed a quick exit.

It was a shady plan considering they would be going against an entire institution filled with other victims like them that would most likely be able to take them down easily. They would be lying to themselves if they thought that Brenda would be distracted with just Finn. They knew she had plans upon plans to make things go her way.

But it was the only plan they could think of.

That’s why Finn had been hoping Ella would have a better idea. And he did.

But even that completely faded from his mind the moment he saw Kurt in the tube. The star to Brenda’s shit show.

He knew Kurt’s world was falling apart. He knew that Brenda was somehow responsible, and he knew that if he didn’t break his promise that something worse than Kurt being upset with him was going to happen.

Which was why he wrote The Network on his wrist as his own backup plan.

He wasn’t aware of Matt having recruited Laurence and April to the rescue mission. Nor that Brenda had a hypnotized Marley hidden in the shadows ready to put a bullet in his head.

He just went in riding on the hope that Artie would do what he asked, and that Ella would come in right when he needed him.

…

Artie watched as the darkness seeped out of Finn just as he forced himself to jump directly into the network. The power it took shook the building to the point that it could easily be mistaken for an earthquake.

He took it as his cue and turned to Brenda just as she was about to be enveloped in the same darkness as everyone in the rest of the room.

Somewhere in the network Kurt and Finn’s hands finally met.

…

“There’s guards up in the next turn,” Jake informed them. They were a group of six. Unique, Mercedes, Kitty, and two other patients who hadn’t been dosed with pollen, but were very willing to help them escape. Quinn wasn’t in the cells, but according to the patients they'd freed, she was moved to a weird room with a bunch of Class A patients. Seeing as the president was deeply interested in Finn; that was probably where he was too. “Everyone hold hands!”

They gathered together and did so, making sure one of them was holding Kitty.

As soon as they turned the corner there were the guards, attentive, but unaware of them. The small group walked through them and entered the main lab.

They only had time to see Kurt in a large glass tube before everything went black.

…

Just as Artie entered her mind, tearing through all the links she had with all of the patients in the institution, Marley stepped out from her hiding spot and fired straight at Finn. The bullet breaking through the glass and cutting right through his forehead.

In midair six teenagers flickered into existence, landing heavily atop Brenda and just barely missing the bullet Marley fired.

Ella looked up at Kurt, from his spot on the floor. “We’re too late.”

Instantly the darkness vanished.

Though unconscious, with the pollen increasing his sensitivity out to the lab and beyond, Kurt felt the bullet hit Finn.

That was the trigger Brenda was looking for.

Now consumed in a darkness of his own, The Anomaly blasted his power out into the world.

…

With Laurence leading the way, Matt and the others ran as hard they could to the main lab where Laurence was sure Brenda would be. If Finn and Kurt had walked straight into her hands, they would be there too.

“Are you sure Kurt’s the Anomaly?” Matt asked. Guards were rushing towards them, but April jumped ahead and sang out a high note much like a siren. The guards were blown backwards from the force. The group ran past them easily.

“You told me what Finn told you. He’s had no apparent signs of the Alice Syndrome, he can stop Finn’s hallucinations, and an occurrence with another victim attempting to make him invisible failed,” Laurence huffed, “it’s him. I can’t believe I didn’t suspect him before.”

Matt grimaced, “then we just gave Castle what she wanted.”

“Let’s hope Ella made it in time to break them out,” Laurence said grimly.

More guards were running to them, they were just a few yards away from the lab.

The hypnotist stopped short, paling. “Oh my god.”

A gust of wind blew through the guards, disintegrating them all to dust. Matt’s group had no hope of running away…

The deadly wind traveled farther away, expanding from Babylon to the rest of the world. Everything it touched, it stole.

In Lima, right as Rachel and the others were reunited with their parents and a worried Shannon Beiste, the worst possible thing occurred.

One minute Rachel was hugging her parents, the next…

They disappeared.

The Network

Kurt opened his eyes. He found himself in a broken cage, floating in the middle of darkness. Peeling his eyes wide, he looked around himself, slowly realizing that darkness hadn’t touched him. His whole body was glowing softly. As his mind sharpened, he became aware of something heavy on his lap, loose arms around his waist.

“Finn…” his own voice sounded funny to him, echoing in the darkness. When the wanderer didn’t respond, he gently turned him over. Finn fell to the side heavily, not reacting at all.

There was a hole in his forehead and bit by bit, it was widening. There was no sign of stopping. Empty eyes stared back at him.

“Finn!” Kurt panicked, smacking the other boy’s cheek sharply, “Finn please! Snap out of it! Heal yourself!” He held Finn’s limp body close, tears floating away. “Heal!” he whimpered.

This couldn’t be happening. He couldn’t lose him…

A gentle hand landed on his shoulder. He flinched and looked up, hiccupping through his tears.

Suzy stood before him. Her gaze just as gentle as her hand. Kurt was too lost for words. Having never seen her until now, the last time he remembered had been a long time ago in high school…

Not exchanging a single word, she took his and placed it over Finn’s forehead.

And somehow, instinctively, Kurt shut his eyes and focused.

Apate

Groaning under the weight of several teenagers atop her, Brenda pushed them away and stumbled to her feet feeling disoriented. Gathering her bearings, she took a good look at her intruders, recognizing everyone. Considering their positions in her game of chess, she wasn’t surprised they were all together here, like an army.

Brenda took a quick glance at Kurt. The power he emitted was still being extended to the rest of the world. The fact that everyone in the lab had returned meant the plan was working, at least at this short of a range…

Laurence and Matt exchanged confused looks. Didn’t they die just now? How did they end up in the lab?

The general air of confusion spread all over the lab as everyone looked at each other in a mix of relief and shock.

“The Anomaly’s been activated,” Brenda said, regaining her composure. Laurence looked past her where Kurt was, still locked in the tube. “My campaign for peace is complete.”

She stared down hard at the disheveled man, boring her eyes in his. “Laurence, would you please gather these children and take them to their rooms? They are in great need of our help.”

Laurence glared back at her.

Brenda faltered. That shouldn’t have happened, she was sure she was using her hypnotism right. She was more powerful than Laurence…

Her gaze drifted to Artie, standing quietly a few feet away, and remaining unshaken despite what had been happening. His eyes were dead on her, and much more focused than the dazedness she’d been accustomed to. Was he _blocking_ her?

She looked past Laurence and Matt. There was a whole army of patients standing behind them. None of them were glossy eyed either.

The Clown cut her off her hypnotism! She’d been betrayed!

Brenda set her jaw. Her sought after world for peace…

She cast another glance to Marley this time. She was frozen on the spot, staring at Finn’s slumped form in his tube. She wasn’t horrified, her mind wasn’t in the lab right now. It was, hopefully, worlds away from this reality.

It had to be. They wouldn’t be standing in this lab if it wasn’t.

Everything Brenda predicted fell right into place.

It was her turn to keep the mission in motion.

Seeing Matt and Laurence standing side by side, Brenda knew these kids weren’t going to let her take Laurence willingly. She needed him to seal the deal. What she needed was a distraction.

Well.

They had brought their army, it would be rude not to bring hers. “Security!”

A Place Unknown

_“Come back to me…”_

He felt fuzzy.

His eyes were open, but all he saw was darkness. It didn’t feel like the network, and he was conscious enough to know this wasn’t some kind of dream. He could feel his whole body floating, and the growing sense of panic over not knowing where he was.

Where _was_ he?

Just as the question crossed his mind, a bright flash lit up the darkness quickly followed by a loud deafening crack and rushing wind.

Everything flew past Finn, expanding and stretching out as far as possible.

Clumps of meteorite and gas gathered and formed planets.

Burning stars and planets came together to become galaxies.

The darkness became a visual symphony of creation. Ever reaching and in constant reinvention.

Explosions sucked everything in and became black holes.

Life was created and then welcomed death.

_“Finn…!”_

He blinked. Was that Kurt?

A planet came together right before Finn’s eyes. It was an angry mess of splattering lava, and unbearable heat. Thousands of years were passing in seconds. The lava cooled down into rock, a shift in the atmosphere developed into hundreds of species able to withstand the extreme temperatures. Sea life began to exist. Dinosaurs came and went, the first generation of man took their first steps…

He was witnessing the history of Earth on fast forward. Monarchies and ruling governments rose and fell, mistakes were repeated over and over…

And then he was back in Apate headquarters. Trapped inside a glass tube right across from a slowly dying Kurt. He could feel his heart drumming in his ears.

A young girl stepped out from around Kurt’s prison, raising a gun and firing at Finn’s head.

The black veins lining Kurt’s skin doubled and widened until he was completely covered. A heavy wave of thick energy blasted off him. All of the people in the room blew away into ash, followed by the building itself. Everything Kurt touched with his power melted away into non-existence. New York became an empty desert, the water dried up. Life altogether ended.

Kurt was the only person left on the planet.

And all because he was forced to see Finn die.

_“Come back to me Finn…”_

He touched his forehead but found no blood there. Why would that girl kill him? Was she being hypnotized by Castle?

The series of events rewound back to that moment. Freezing at the point the gun was pointed to him.

_“Who are you?”_ Finn’s voice echoed out of him, eerily similar to how Suzy communicated with him.

Apate faded away leaving him and the girl alone in the quiet of space. Confused, she lowered her gun. Her glazed eyes focused, and once the shock took over when she realized her surroundings, she raised the weapon again.

“What did you do!?” she demanded in panic.

_“Nothing,”_ he wasn’t afraid, he mentally noted. Something in him knew this girl wasn’t going to pull the trigger a second time. _“Who are you?”_

She hesitated. “…Marley.”

Oh. She was the one Unique’s group had been looking for.

_“Your friends told me you can see and choose futures,”_ he recalled. Marley paused, taken aback.

Almost as if on his command, her ability activated. Large bubbles came into existence around her, each depicting different futures like mini television sets. Finn watched them all in awe. It seemed like such a simple ability. Call on all the possibilities and easily choose one without any effort.

What power…

“Don’t touch them!” she shouted, even though he made no move to reach for them. “If you do, whatever you pick will happen!”

He studied each one, wondering if maybe there was a future that didn’t have Kurt all alone in a dead planet…

Every bubble he looked at had a future worse than the first. Not a single happy future floated amongst them. He frowned, not understanding. There had to be something. There was no way nothing good could come out of the mess they were in.

“If I kill you, none of this will happen,” Marley raised her gun again, her hands trembling. He stared at her.

It wasn’t true. Finn saw the future already. If he died, Kurt would destroy the planet. And according to these futures, if Kurt died, then he would do the same. In the end, if either of them died, the world was doomed. Wasn’t Marley aware of that?

The bubbles shuddered, their footage of the future slowly broadcasting the same sad ending of humanity. Marley looked at them with wide eyes, tears floating away the more she turned her head to each bubble in panic.

He didn’t want a future where Kurt would be alone. There had to be something better, even if Marley’s ability was telling them that a happy ending didn’t exist.

More bubbles popped into existence, but quickly faded out. Their brief presence gave the two a moment of pause.

Was it an emotional trigger?

Or was Marley being blocked by an outside source?

He looked at the gun in her hand. A kid her age couldn’t have gotten it so easily. Someone must have given it to her. It needed to go.

Marley screamed in surprise when the weapon suddenly disappeared from her hands. “What?” she looked at her hands, panic returning. “Where did…?”

The single future changed back to several sad ones.

And one by one, more bubbles started to appear again.

“What’s going on!?” her voice was pitching higher, the new bubbles were showing other futures she’d never seen before. The despair in her heart that she’d been holding on to since her ability started began to let go. A lighter feeling she hadn’t felt in so long glowed in her chest. It reminded her of happier days. Of Christmas, her birthday…the friends she made…her mother…

One by one the new futures showed them happier times to come. Apate either gone or reformed. Society united. Less senseless tragedies, less sad stories, no disease…

It was like all the negativity in the world had been wiped away.

…An era of peace.

The pineapple ornament around his neck drifted in his line of vision, glinting in the reflections of the sun and earth.

_“Finn…”_

That was definitely Kurt’s voice. It was coming from the ornament, and it was calling him home. First, though, he had to choose the right future…

There was so many to choose from and yet they all had one thing in common just as the tragic futures. The hope Finn carried when he went to Apate slowly dwindled. If there was no avoiding it, then they needed to choose a future that would make the transition a bit easier on everyone.

“I’ve never seen so many…” Marley’s eyes glistened, “But…” she looked to Finn sadly.

_“It’ll take time to get used to,”_ he spotted a bubble close by. Quietly it showed him several scenes of the events to come. The most promising so far, and one in which Kurt seemed the happiest. It just burned a little that after all this drama…

No. This was the best they could do. He couldn’t ask for more. He reached out for it.

“No!” Marley grabbed his hand, “If you choose it there’s no going back! You have to be sure.”

He could only look at Kurt’s beaming face, his hand reaching out to him.

Apate

Kurt awoke rather abruptly. The power that he unleashed reversed and hit him like crashing waves. What felt like an eternity of his body convulsing under the pressure lasted only seconds. He was left gasping for air, the black veins thinning out into nothing. He didn’t feel sick, nor dazed. In fact, he was strong enough to break away from his restraints quite easily.

Clutching his wrists, he looked up just in time to see a familiar little girl place her hands on the glass of his prison. He didn’t have much space, but to recoil as much as possible against the steel board. Taking it as a sign, Harvest clenched her little fists and gave the glass a sharp knock with her knuckles. In an instant the glass around her shattered. Gallons of Pollen spilled out. Harvest jumped to the side in disgust. Kurt clutched the steel board against the rush of the liquid pouring out.

Finally, though, the capsule was emptied out. The hole Harvest made was large enough for Kurt to squeeze through.

Before he could thank her, she was a thrown aside by a ball of fire. Screaming in shock, Kurt went back in his capsule.

The entire lab was in chaos. For some bizarre reason Ella’s family was here fighting off security guards. People were flying all over the place, Unique’s group plus Mercedes were in a battle of their own. To his shock, Laurence and April Rhodes were here as well, and by the looks of how they were fighting off security, and backing up Matt and Ryder, they were on their side.

The sea of confusion was made worse by the amount of kids he didn’t know, also fighting alongside his friends.

He spotted Brenda amongst the chaos, standing perfectly still and unnervingly expressionless. When they made eye contact, she stepped over, ducking under the broken glass and smiling at him.

“Well done,” was all she said.

“Well…?” what did he do? He remembered being thrown in the capsule. She was telling him her elaborate plan to activate his ability to perform genocide… “No,” he paled, “I can’t have…” he felt like he was going to faint.

“Yes,” her smile widened, pearly teeth glinting between her red lips, “and now a new era has begun.”

“All those people…” he choked.

Brenda stepped back and turned away. Kurt would have stayed in his little tube if he hadn’t noticed Finn on the other side. Lying immobile in a girl’s arms.

Ignoring the rain of bullets, the battle cries, the flurry of fire balls and rays of lightening, Kurt ran across the room to the pair. His heart in his throat.

Marley looked up from where she was kneeling on the ground. There was a bullet hole in Finn’s forehead.

Crying out, Kurt threw himself at him, cradling the side of his pale face. He’d seen this before. In a dream where he was surrounded in darkness and he and Finn were in a similar position.

Tears were spilling freely. He clutched Finn close, sobs wracking out of him in heavy hiccups.

“Finn,” he cried, looking at his face again.

The flattened bullet that was lodged in Finn’s head slowly slipped out and rolled to the floor. Kurt froze. His heart was hammering. Millimeter by millimeter, the gaping wound shrank and disappeared. Some color returned to Finn’s cheeks.

Another hysterical cry escaped him.

Over Finn’s shoulder, Kurt could see the girl who had been holding him earlier watch them closely. She seemed to want to say something, but was soon dragged away by Kitty and Jake. Her small group held her close, the gun she’d been holding slipped from her fingers and clattered to the floor.

Kurt stared at it for a long time.

It wasn’t hard to put two and two together.

Before the anger could boil over, a gentle hand touched his cheek.

Finn smiled up at him. He looked tired and close to passing out. Yet there was immense relief in his eyes. The mission that had been thrown on his lap was finally over.

At least Kurt hoped it was. Brenda did say that her era of peace had begun. That meant the rest of the world was wiped out. But if that were true wouldn’t everyone in Apate be gone as well?

“It’s okay,” Finn murmured, too tired to speak louder. “I fixed everything.”

“But…” he didn’t get it. Why was Brenda so happy then? “What happened?”

Finn opened his mouth, then paused and frowned. “I…don’t know. I don’t remember anything past getting in the Network.”

“You promised you wouldn’t go.” Although, he wasn’t as mad about that as he should have been...

“I wasn’t going to let you die.”

Kurt huffed, color rising in his cheeks. “At least you weren’t gone for three days…” his eyes softened, “I saw her. I think…Suzy, I mean.”

“You’ll probably see her more frequently in your dreams from now on.”

Kurt looked up, startled. Ella stood above them and he was not dressed for battle at all. The navy bell dress was torn and scuffed, and he was missing a glove. Given that his ability made him relatively weak, and he seemed way too dainty to even slap anyone, it was a miracle he was walking around on his own two feet.

“You made it!” Finn threw his arms up halfheartedly, “we won right?”

“Not sure,” Ella looked around them. There was still a battle going on. No one had noticed that Kurt left his capsule. Harvest was back on her feet again, lifting a startled guard and tossing him to his own group.

Well.

Kurt looked up to the observation deck. The windows were blasted. Some activity could be seen inside.

Someone crashed against the capsules a few inches away from them, waking the two up from their stupor. They needed to retreat. Finn was too out of it to fight.

“There’s guards lining up the hallways waiting for us,” Wendy appeared by Ella’s side, “we need a strand three to get us out.”

“Kitty,” Kurt and Finn said instantly.

Just as her name was mentioned, the girl in question was thrown against the wall. She slid down in a heap, unconscious.

“Shit,” Kurt muttered under his breath.

Everyone froze under the ominous sounds of several clicks. Hesitantly, Kurt looked up and was face to face with a gun dead on his forehead. The guard holding the weapon moved his finger to pull the trigger, but cried out in surprise when dark green vines wrapped around his neck and sharply pulled him back, slamming his head against the ground and knocking him out.

Kurt followed the source of the vines and found Artie strewn on the floor. “W-why’s Artie here?”

He almost pissed himself when a scream came from above. A blue skinned girl was thrown off of the observation deck. She knocked into the main capsule and crumpled to the floor, her blonde hair spilling over her face.

Kurt held Finn close. There was too much going on, they had to find an escape soon or they were going to die.

Just as he thought he was going to have a panic attack, he spotted Brenda amongst the chaos. Perfectly still and untouched despite all of the blood flying around her. Across from her was a very harried Laurence. He was sporting a bloody lip and black eye. There was a limp in his step as he approached her.

“Hello Laurence,” she greeted warmly. Alice appeared by her side, just as unharmed as her creator.

Laurence didn’t say anything. He stood a little taller and bore his eyes into hers. They didn’t exchange anymore words, locked in a battle in their minds.

Kurt wanted to see more, but Blaine stepped in his way. His hands were covered in gashes, staining his dark sleeves up to his shoulders. Knowing what he could do, Kurt draped himself protectively over Finn.

Unfortunately, Blaine didn’t use his ability on him. He grabbed him by the neck and lifted him effortlessly, shoving him to the side.

Struggling to sit up, Finn eyed the blood manipulator warily. His face was blank, and yet his eyes didn’t seem as dazed as when under hypnotism.

“Fight it,” Ella said, understanding faster than Finn. “She’s almost out of your system. Fight it.”

“Hrck!” Finn clawed at Blaine’s hand that was wrapped around his neck. He was lifted to his knees, but the grip wasn’t so strong that he couldn’t breathe. He somehow knew that Blaine could squeeze tighter and even snap his neck. He was holding back.

“Fight it!” Ella ordered, his hand over Blaine’s arm.

He could see it in his eyes. Blaine was warring with Brenda’s hypnotism. His nose was starting to bleed from the effort.

“Blaine…” he coughed, gripping onto the other boy’s hand. “You’re name…is Blaine…Anderson…!”

The clarity in his eyes became stronger. He slowly let go of Finn’s neck. Then he coughed up blood and collapsed.

His hands shaking, Kurt turned him over. His eyes were shut, and he was still breathing. Kurt clenched his jaw. “Is he going to be okay?” he looked up to Ella.

“In time,” he said grimly. Kneeling down, he touched Blaine’s temple. “He…” Ella’s face darkened, using a bit of his ability to delve into Blaine’s mind, “it looks like Brenda made him like a guard for her safety. He’s hurt quite a few people. That is not his true nature is it?” he turned to Kurt who shook his head. “Then…he will need a lot of time.”

…

Laurence felt like his body was going to give out on him. He wasn’t one for physical fights. He couldn’t touch the minds of the guards, unfortunately. Brenda’s hold on them was much stronger than her hold on the patients.

His fellow hypnotist stood across from him with Alice. Neither made no move to fight him or protect themselves. They’d been expecting him.

Hypnotizing the very person who warped his mind so far as to make him create a second identity was probably the worst idea he could ever think of. He came to Babylon knowing she was infinitely stronger than him. If he wanted to win, his best bet was to shoot her with a gun before she hypnotized him again.

The fact that she failed thanks to the Clown gave him pause.

“It’s our turn now, Laurence,” Brenda said, hands outstretched. “Let’s seal the deal.”

Was she messing with him again? Laurence frowned.

No. He couldn’t be tricked.

Mustering up as much energy as he could, he focused on her eyes.

Brenda shut her eyes and smiled.

Immediately his mind was invaded with her memories. Her childhood before Apate took him in. The torture the founders put her through to force a reaction to the original pollen. Years of crying for her parents, for anyone to save her. Crying her eyes out until she became numb.

Watching enviously as April, Will and Terri developed a tight friendship in the midst of going through the same experiments she’d gone through.

Wishing for a better world.

Honing her hypnotism.

Quietly planning her goals towards a world more beautiful than Apate envisioned. Leaving papers behind in specific locations, planting seeds in people like Easter eggs in the hopes that each would trigger in the right moment.

Conducting hundreds of studies on every dream wanderer that walked her way.

Long discovering Kurt Hummel’s potential and putting artificial doubt in him so that it would grow to the point of igniting his nullification to catastrophic proportions.

She had a place for Finn.

A place for Artie.

A place for Marley.

…She had a place for Laurence and herself.

The King and the Queen of her massive game of chess.

Laurence could feel his hypnotism amplify. Brenda wasn’t fighting him, she was joining her ability with his. If she succeeded, then her dreams would be realized.

“You still used me,” although he felt more sad than angry now.

“I know,” Brenda’s eyes were turning black. There was screaming going on around them, but they didn’t allow themselves to get distracted. Their combined hypnotism was at its peak. They could feel it affecting their surroundings.

The one thing Brenda needed him for was now bending to their will and spreading to the rest of the world…

Alice floated up to her creator and kissed her on the cheek before disintegrating.

Laurence vanished from existence and now Will took his place.

He remembered everything now. Even from the eyes of Laurence, he remembered everything from his childhood up to this moment…

A storm cloud gathered around the pair now that the hypnotist’s alter ego was gone and his hypnotism increased. He could feel his body failing him.

They wouldn’t be getting out of this alive.

At least Brenda wouldn’t be here to enjoy her new world.

…

“Finn,” everyone looked up to Ella. He was looking at the battle around them. “If you know a way to stop this, we’re all ears.”

The fight was turning for the worse. Matt may have gotten an army on their side, but there was still the group of patients that had been locked in the capsules, still under Brenda’s influence. The abilities they were displaying were like nothing they had ever seen before.

One had turned a group of guards inside out, another was influencing gravity of anything they touched…

If this went on any longer, the building was going to collapse on them.

Finn got shakily to his feet. They needed to nullify the abilities of these people…

A loud crack resounded, their attention returned to the hypnotists. Alice was gone. The two had done nothing but stare at each other, and now they were surrounded in some kind of rip in reality. While everyone around them was fighting, they were standing over a growing hole of space. Galaxies and stars could be seen from the other side. The wider it grew, the more it pulled in. The capsules ripped away from the walls and got sucked into space. A cloud developed around Brenda and Laurence, thunder and lightning crackling within it.

The fight slowed to a stop as everyone struggled to hold on to something and not get pulled into the vortex.

Finn and Kurt held onto each other. The empath looked over Kurt’s shoulder, thinking as hard as he could to work out how to fix this.

Laurence flickered away and there stood his Spanish teacher, back in the clothes he was used to seeing him in, but the injuries that Laurence had sustained remained.

He turned his head slightly and looked at Finn, his eyes were completely black, reflecting the space underneath him. Finn’s face fell. Time was being warped, he could see in his head the memories of William Schuester invading him.

Everything that had happened up to this point.

His teacher’s memories became mixed with Brenda’s, filling in the holes that answered questions Finn didn’t realize he had.

Finn knew exactly what the older man was going to do. He reached out to him, feeling weaker and more helpless than before.

“NO!” his voice echoed.

Will turned back to Brenda and shut his eyes. There was serenity in their faces as they fell through into space, their bodies bursting into billions of particles. The vortex shut with finality.

The room settled down, back to its normal gravity and time. Everyone was too stupefied to continue fighting. In fact, the patients who had been hypnotized by Brenda were now coming back to their senses.

As if time outside had been frozen and was now running again, more people ran inside, firefighters and paramedics, and a whole slew of policemen.

Still numb over what happened, Finn let them take him by the arms and rush him out of the lab. He passed by Matt and Artie, both of who looked just as shocked as him, not protesting the paramedics as they checked them over.

Mr. Schue was gone.

It seemed they won the fight, but…

Tears were running down his cheeks. It felt like they lost.

The Next Day  
A Hospital near Babylon

The news had been on all day. Reports of the riots were now showing the after effects. Miraculously no one had died, only showing statistics for injuries and those coming out of critical danger. A complete turnaround to the reports from the other day that had record death tolls. Finn suspected that the time warp he felt between Brenda and Mr. Schue was responsible. Previous newspapers still had articles on the death tolls, but now that the dead were reported to have revived, people were calling it a miracle. The reaction around the country was so strong that there was even specials circulating of people hugging each other and crying for joy, calling out to whatever ‘Gifted’ brought back their loved ones.

That was what the Alice Syndrome victims were being dubbed now. ‘Gifted’.

Similar stories were popping up around the world since at one point Kurt did kill off the whole planet. Now that things were back to normal with no memory lapse and millions of video recordings of the phenomenon that was the Wind of Death, people had turned around and cried for joy at being alive again.

In twenty-four hours crime rates dropped dramatically.

There was also one hour reports on what had happened at Apate headquarters.

Apparently while the vortex had been opened in the lab, a larger one had formed in the sky over it. No one had an explanation for it, and the people who had been inside the lab at the time were all locked away from the reporters so they could recover peacefully.

The only thing the rest of the world could ride on was theories.

Reports on Finn and Kurt being found at Apate were circulating the media, but none of the reporters were able to reach them. They just kept repeating footage of them being guided into ambulance vans with the others. While the adults were pinning the vortex phenomenon on them, a lot of protesters were defending the pair. Complete strangers they’d never seen before.

Finn liked to think that was Suzy’s influence.

There were also reports of Mr. Schue missing. His parents came up now and then, worried and holding his picture. Begging for help.

Finn had to change the channel when they came up.

“So when are you heading back to Lima?” Ella asked. He was sitting on the other side of the bed with his siblings. Kurt, Finn, and Matt on the other. The one lying in bed was Blaine, his heart monitor was beeping steadily, but he showed no signs of waking up.

“We need a ride,” Kurt looked out the window where reporters were crowding the entrance, “but I don’t think we’ll be leaving any time soon.”

“I’d offer you guys a ride, but…” Orion shrugged sheepishly, “you’d nullify me.”

“We can’t leave without our friends either…” Finn mumbled. Blaine could be easily moved to a hospital in Lima, or somewhere closer to his home, but Sam was another story. After Mr. Schue disappeared, Laurence’s influence on the blond also vanished, leaving him in a maddened state. He lost control of his ability and would have collapsed the building if a paramedic hadn’t managed to shoot him with a sedative.

He was in a room of his own with two guards and an Apate nurse. The room itself wouldn’t be enough to contain him, but according to Ella, Suzy was working from the network to regain his senses.

Quinn was also going over some shock herself. She survived a bullet to the heart and a surgery that followed. The worst for her was that her pale skin had now transformed to royal blue. Once her footage from the evacuation at Apate was spread to the media, everyone was now dubbing her several names. She was in the room next door with Dr. Hope and Mercedes trying to console her.

She was also making it rain really badly outside.

Before he could get anymore lost in his thoughts. Another person entered the room. Marley shuffled in. Half her face was all scratched and bruised up thanks to being near Sam when he had his freak out. Other than that, she was fine.

Beside Finn, Kurt stiffened.

“Hi,” she said from her spot at the door.

The gathered group greeted her back awkwardly. By now everyone knew that she had shot Finn. Not of her own will, but…Kurt wasn’t about to forgive her.

“I…” her words got trapped in her throat, she cleared it and nervously tried again, “I wanted to…apologize. I-I know it’s not enough, a-and…”

“It’s alright,” Finn cut in, “Castle had you hypnotized. Besides, I’m alive so…”

“It’s for the other thing too,” she drove on, “the futures I had available, they weren’t completely perfect. I know they were good futures, but they didn’t have…completely happy endings.”

“What does she mean?” Ella turned to Finn. The empath was lost as well, shaking his head, his face blank.

“You…” Marley blinked, “you don’t remember?” She hesitantly approached them. “You picked a future for us. A good one. I’m not sure where we were, but we were in some kind of universe – you unblocked the futures Castle was keeping from me.”

“What?” Kurt scrunched his face.

“I did?” Finn blinked.

Marley nodded. “It’s just that…” she seemed sad suddenly, “there will never be a cure for us.”

Kurt’s face fell. No cure? He turned to Finn. He’d fallen quiet, either letting it sink in, or trying to remember what he did when he was in the Network. If there was no cure, then Finn would remain with the abilities he learned. The immortality that he didn’t want would be his curse…

Finn took his hand. It felt different. Softer and younger. Kurt had noticed the change for a while now. All the years of hard work he put his body through was now gone. It was going to stay this way for a long time.

The heavy silence in the room broke once again as two more people entered. Two of the very people Finn and Kurt had been longing to see.

“We took the first flight out as soon as we heard,” Carole said, breathless and teary eyed. Too emotional to reply, the two teens bolted to their parents and hugged them tightly. Burying their faces in their shoulders.

One Month Later  
Lima

Getting home was a long hassle of finding a ride that could get them out of New York, sneak out of the airport, and taking several roads to shake off reporters tailing them. The others were flown directly to hospitals, but since Finn and Kurt didn’t suffer much, the latter having shown no effects to the pollen he was swimming in, they had to take the normal way home. They would have had two cop cars with them, but that felt more like a cry for attention than anything else. They wanted to go home in peace.

The house hadn’t changed at all when they arrived. Christmas lights were still hung outside, the tree was still up, and it smelled of peppermint and cookies. Even when they finally got to sleep for days in their own beds, it felt like Christmas was still on its way.

“We never got to celebrate it together,” Burt said sadly, “we didn’t have the heart to take everything down.”

Which was perfect, because now Finn was able to place the ornament on the tree. It now hung nestled between the other ornaments, reflecting the colorful lights wrapped around the tree. They stayed home practically all week, enjoying holiday meals and games they missed out on since Finn’s institutionalization. Their friends visited them often, but not until after they got through the guards hanging at the house.

That was the only annoying flaw to their return. Dealing with guards keeping watch over their house.

Well that and their parents settling into the idea that Finn and Kurt were now together. They kind of knew about it from the reports and speaking to Rachel before they left for New York. However, passing by rooms or hallways and seeing their sons holding hands or exchanging pecks on the cheek was…it was new. They had to instill an open door policy whenever they were in the same room, just to keep their peace of mind. Other than that, they were holding up well. It drew a sigh of relief from Kurt, who had suddenly started worrying again over Finn being okay with announcing their relationship to their parents.

Rachel was predictable.

As soon as they got a visit from her, she slapped them smartly across the face.

“That’s for cheating on me,” she said simply, then hugged them tightly and rambled over what had been going on since they were gone.

They were shocked to learn she had been one of the deaths from Apate, but hadn’t been revived by Mr. Schue and Brenda’s time warp.

It explained why Mike had yet to visit them. He was still in a coma at the hospital. Finn spoke with Suzy about it in a dream, hoping to wake his friend up.

_“He’s going through some preparations in his body before he decides to wake up,”_ she showed him a live image of Mike’s world from the network. It was black and filled with craters, yet it wasn’t threatening to blow up. Unlike Kurt and Artie’s worlds, it didn’t show any signs of being under the influence of a hypnotist. _“He’s very weak. When he wakes up, he’ll no longer be able to lead a normal life.”_

He couldn’t imagine playing high school football without his friend. Mike loved sports, he loved anything that kept him active. “Then what’s he preparing his body for?”

Suzy didn’t answer immediately, she observed Mike’s world from the image in her hands. There were a few black strings inching out of his world. Finn knew they weren’t random strings, they were very similar to bridges dream wanderer’s shared.

“…He’s a wanderer?” he frowned.

Suzy smiled softly, _“Not quite.”_

He didn’t get to learn any more than that.

Eventually, life had to go back to normal. Once reporters finally backed off, and investigations of Apate could be carried out without them nosing around, school had to start up again.

The first day was hard.

Mr. Schue was never found, and Finn found himself sitting in class with a new teacher. He was admittedly much more fluent in Spanish, and a lot easier to understand. Yet, the hole was there. Glee club was on a standstill as the staff tried to figure out who would be Mr. Schue’s replacement. Competitions for the year were cancelled, and the hype for championships and other school events were more halfhearted than anything. People were eager to get back to a normal life, but it was hard with the memories of Apate clouding that happiness.

From what he heard, April was now dedicating more and more of her time with the investigations on Apate. As one of the earliest successful patients, she wanted to learn everything done to her and how she could control her vocal kinetic ability. Terri, however, wanted to forget the whole thing. She was now residing in some tropical island, pretending that nothing happened since the day she woke up in some random hospital, to a world of teenagers with supernatural abilities.

Sam and Artie were still in the hospital, and Quinn had locked herself up in her home.

Finn and Kurt visited them when they could. Sam had calmed down thanks to Suzy, but his on and off struggle with pollen kept him from being discharged. He was seeing Dr. Hope for help though, as well as other Alice Syndrome victims struggling with the same problem. Every session seemed to be helping him get a little better than before.

Artie’s struggle was different.

He lost power over his legs again. He was also doing everything he could not to fall asleep.

“What if I kill someone again?” he whimpered, the dark bags under his eyes crying out for sleep, “none of the suicide victims came back…”

It was true. The death tolls of the riots may have vanished, but the suicides of the Alice Syndrome weren’t reversed. Those deaths happened long before the riots occurred. Even though Finn had convinced Artie in his dream that the deaths weren’t his fault, it looked as though he still felt guilty for them anyway.

Because of this, the clown never made his appearance again.

With his dream wandering sensitivity under control now, Finn was able to fight his hallucinations. If they ever showed up, he easily erased them. Kurt’s touch became less and less necessary. At least for the hallucinations alone.

Finn stared across the table to Kurt, they were having breakfast and eventually would part ways for school. It was so wonderfully normal and domestic and…he was thankful to have this back in his life again.

Kurt was looking through a news site on his phone, an upgrade from the one he lost. Last year he would have been drooling over gossip magazines and fashion shows, but now he was keeping up to date on any investigations done on Apate, and whether the government was taking any action after the events that took place.

He hardly took notice of the fact he even had an ability. Nor that his ability was one of the most powerful amongst the ‘Gifted’.

“I love you,” he blurted out, just as he had done every morning since they got home.

Kurt looked up from his phone and smiled, cheeks turning pink, “I love you too.”

And things would have continued on like that if Matt hadn't chosen to show up.

Finn nearly choked on his cereal when his friend popped into existence in the middle of their kitchen.

“Hey,” Matt waved before doubling over in pain.

“Hey,” Finn squeaked, fighting to swallow his breakfast stuck in his throat.

Kurt looked between the two, silently glad he hadn't taken a sip of his coffee just as the jumper showed up. He was more interested in the manila folder in his hands.

“Finally got the safe in Castle’s office opened,” the jumper slapped the folder on the table. The safe he was referring to was one that was in the corner of Brenda’s office. During investigations, they broke in and found that the safe had been reinforced with a dense material that even Peter or Kitty couldn’t phase through.

When the investigations started, the FBI soon realized that they couldn’t do much without the help of those with abilities to break things open or who had visual skills to see through walls or detect substances in the air in an instant. Apate had been built specifically for Alice Syndrome victims after all.

For that, Matt organized a team to help the FBI in areas physically out of their hands. Breaking into the safe had been a particularly hard task since it was designed to keep people like Peter and Kitty out. The only reason they knew its contents were important was because Wendy used his x-ray vision and said there were files inside regarding Brenda’s plans on her new world order.

If they didn’t have proof to move on with the lawsuits on Apate, this was it.

“They’re copies,” Matt said as Finn flipped the folder open, “the originals have been moved to Quantico for study. They’ll be moved to Washington D.C. afterwards.”

The first thing Finn opened to was a photo of a little dark haired girl. She was in a school uniform decades in the past, and she was clutching a doll with blonde hair and familiar bell dress.

She had her own profile, explaining the power of her hypnotism, the hundreds of tests done on her. There was also a note on her obsession with Alice in Wonderland leading to the manifestation of a little Alice sometime after she mastered her ability. They called it an unconscious effort to keep her sanity.

Just like Mr. Schue had done with Laurence.

There were photographs of areas of her body that received treatment. She was bruised and cut up in so many places. Unsatisfactory test results, notes to put her through more torture.

“I think she left that behind so we can use it against the founders of Apate,” Matt said. Finn felt faint from looking at all the graphic pictures.

The next pages were copies of what looked like journal entries.

_A new era of peace must be struck by an emotional trigger. From the gathered results of the victims so far there are a few candidates to perform such a task. Precognitive Choice can be an easy solution, however, I don’t believe happiness can’t last for long. There will always be a return for the dark side of humanity. The emotional trigger must affect the entire world…_

_There is an empath who can copy the abilities of the infected. He is also a dream wanderer who has developed his skills much faster than the wanderers currently listed. According the visits from the Clown, he has also visited the Network that Laurence mentioned. If his touch in the Network can affect the world in real time, we may have found our trigger…_

_The Anomaly has been found. I’ve been using the Clown to develop the Wanderer’s feelings for the Anomaly. The latter is emotionally vulnerable to his ability and if nudged in the right direction, will ignite his power to the world by eliminating all things living. His trigger needs to be a strong one. The Class A’s I’ve collected should be enough to amplify his ability. I am considering using the Precog…_

_I have doubts about the plan working. The Anomaly can eliminate and nullify, but he cannot bring back what was lost. If the event is fresh enough, the Precog can reverse the wipe out. However, should she choose a positive future before the day I use the Anomaly, there’s a high chance that the honeymoon cast over humanity will not last as long as I hope and they will turn on the infected as is in their paranoid nature. I must block her positive futures until the time is right. A different power must be used as a backup. Laurence has broken my spell. He’ll come for me. His abilities have strengthened nearly to my level, he may still be of use to me. Can it be possible to hypnotize time itself?_

With this final entry I leave knowing that the warning left on the world will last for a few generations. The rest shall be left to the infected.

Finn sat back, letting Kurt take the entries to read for himself. “So…in the end she still got her way.”

“I’m still shitting myself over the fact she managed to hypnotize _time,_ ” Matt muttered, crossing his arms. “That woman was way more powerful than I thought. Everything she planned came out her way, even her death.”

At the mention of death, Finn instantly thought of Mr. Schue. The two hypnotists that made his life hell, sacrificed their lives for a better future.

That may have sounded nice on paper, but he wasn’t all that grateful to Brenda Castle.

“I don’t think Laurence knew about her plan,” Matt spoke up again. “We raided his office here, Mr. Schue’s apartment, his office in McKinley, and all other offices in the other Apate locations. There’s nothing to pin on him. Laurence was literally just following Castle’s orders. He was planning on killing her when we left for New York.” He shrugged, “and he did.”

“Maybe he figured out what she was going to do while they were in that hypnotist battle,” Kurt said, setting down the papers, “he was willing to leave us with a happy future, but he wasn’t going to let Brenda bask in it.”

“There was nothing left here for him anyway,” Finn said sadly, “the police now know Laurence was Mr. Schue’s alter ego. Everyone would have wanted him dead.” It was hard to swallow for Mr. Schue’s parents, they and the rest of the world still didn’t know where he was. He frowned at the papers lying innocently on the table. “The world knows about our potential. They’re gonna come after us – these papers are evidence that the future coming is because of me. Apate’s gonna go down, but so are we.”

“Nah.”

Finn and Kurt raised their eyebrows at Matt.

“I burnt the original entries – and a file of your profile,” he nodded to Kurt, who instantly started digging through the folder. “It was tricky, but the FBI only have the files of Castle’s past with Apate. Those are the only secrets that’ll be out to the public. If the information of her entries got leaked it would be the Salem witch trials all over again,” he shook his head, “those journal papers were for our eyes only…or maybe yours.”

“Mine?” Finn scrunched his face.

“You did a pretty good job leading us before. Maybe you can do it again.”

Finn gave a long suffering sigh. He didn’t want that weight on his shoulders again, he was doing so well since he got back.

“Wait…” he straightened up. The last entry said Castle was leaving the rest to the infected so peace could be maintained…

Kurt pulled out his profile from the pile. His picture hadn’t changed, but now his description was fully written out.

_Class A. Type 3._

_Ability: Nullifier. Anomaly._

_The embodiment of non-existence, and the only one of his kind. Can nullify the abilities of the infected through touch. Emotionally in tuned to his ability, he can store his nullification in his body to the destructive level of a bomb and unleash it, exterminating all things living up to one hundred miles around him. Should he develop his abilities further, he could end all life on the planet in a matter of seconds. There is a high possibility that he can also end the existence of the universe itself._

_In order to prevent such catastrophic events, it’s proposed that he take up specific practices meant to calm the mind and encourage happiness and self-love since these two elements are the opposite of what triggers the deadly side of his abilities. While D-Day will be a warning to the world, it will also be a warning for him of what he’s capable of._

It was another message from Brenda. All of the documents regarding her victims either said ‘further tests to be carried out’ or ‘will be moved to Babylon’. This only informed him how powerful he was, and what he could do to prevent another wipe out like last time.

He was lucky that the rest of the world didn’t know what he could do. All of the witnesses in the lab hadn’t ratted him out, and he was running on the hope that they all thought he didn’t have that potential on his own seeing as his powers were amplified by several Class A victims, and he was swimming in a tube full of pollen.

“We also got results on that bullet that was so loving lodged in your brain,” Matt said, earning a glare from Kurt. “It wasn’t a normal bullet.”

“Figures,” Finn rolled his eyes.

“There was pollen stored in it,” Matt went on, “I’m guessing it was to spread directly to your brain and amplify your dream wandering abilities. Marley said you were very powerful in whatever reality you two ended up in.”

“That could also explain how you healed from the bullet wound even though I was holding you,” Kurt muttered. He’d been wondering that ever since he calmed down from the initial shock. “She said you were both in space, right?” Kurt asked, “You were floating in front of Earth or something.”

There was a pause in the kitchen. Finn wasn’t sure what Kurt was getting at, but Matt was nodding seriously.

“You know, it’d be crazy…but if Mr. Schue and Castle were able to manipulate time, I wouldn’t be surprised if you ended up wandering into the dreams of Earth.”

Finn stared at his friend. The thought alone made his brain hurt and send a chill up his spine. He didn’t want to think of the extent of his abilities so early in the morning. “Okay! Pollen filled bullet amplified my powers and I ended up choosing a happy future thanks to a precog, that’s all I need to know.”

Matt snickered.

“So what do we do now?” Finn asked, wanting to change the subject.

Matt glanced at Kurt. “I don’t know,” he said simply. “I’m sticking with the FBI. The more they and the public see that we’re doing all that we can to cooperate with the government, the less likely they’ll be to lynch us out of paranoia. You guys...do the best you can I guess?” he waved halfheartedly. Finn slumped, that wasn’t very helpful, “Look, I’m not pushing you to lead us. You don’t _have_ to lead us. You’ve been through enough and you deserve to live out the rest of your life in peace. I was just making a suggestion, not an order.”

Finn flinched. Living out the rest of his life meant living and not dying ever.

Matt caught himself and winced. “Sorry.”

“Maybe we can start there,” Kurt said, unaffected by the shift in mood. “You’re publically proving that we don’t have a hidden agenda. Maybe Finn and I can help with controlling anyone who gets too over their heads with their abilities.”

“What?” Finn scrunched his face again, “you mean like some kind of special forces?”

“No,” Kurt rolled his eyes, “that could probably make things worse if we want to, you know, ‘maintain peace’. Trying to prevent violence with more violence just makes it worse, and I’m so over that. What I mean is that maybe we can reform Apate? Instead of locking kids away, it can be a safe haven for them. People like Quinn could go there and be with people who share the same problems.” He paused briefly, “we can form a team to develop a way to block abilities. It’s not a cure, but it could help people who don’t want their abilities on non-stop,” he looked at Finn meaningfully.

That was an idea.

“Dr. Hope’s been counseling a lot of Apate victims,” Matt said thoughtfully, “he’s a fast learner, and probably the only therapist qualified enough to be a permanent doctor for us. We can gather a team for him – those who’d been working at Apate and are willing to help with the reform. I’ve been seeing a few ex-employees, they’re not all bad. It could work.”

Finn was still struck with the possibility of turning his immortality off. He knew Sunshine would jump at the chance of being mortal again…

It was a shot.

Kurt smiled across the table at him. A new fire in his eyes.

“Who should we contact?” he turned to Matt.

His friend didn’t answer immediately. They had a lot of friends that could help with reforming Apate, both infected and not. The network also provided a giant list of people they never met who would be willing to lend a hand.

Eventually, with a laugh, Matt shrugged. “Everyone.”

END.


	28. Epilogue

One Year Later

Lima Cemetery

            It was sunny.

            The forecast had said a storm was coming, but Matt assumed the change in weather was Quinn’s doing. It usually rained when she was upset, which was often. Today must have been a good day for her. He figured it was because Kurt and his team had finally had a breakthrough in their search for a cure to the Alice Syndrome.

            It wasn’t a miracle yet, but after months of experimenting and researching using Kurt’s blood, they'd developed a device that could block abilities. It was a prototype at this stage. So far only Class C’s were successfully blocked. Class B’s only felt their abilities weaken slightly, and no change occurred for the Class A’s. It would take a few more years to get the formula right, and even longer to release to the public, but they were heading in the right direction, and if today’s weather was any indication, then Quinn had high hopes as well.

            Matt let out a long quiet sigh. A lot had happened in the past year.

            The investigations that followed Apate’s fall led to many lawsuits and had led to the reopening of many cases that had gone cold. Namely for missing people that were taken in by Apate long before the success of Pollen. Those investigations were still ongoing, but the most recent case that had been settled was the incarceration of the original founders.

            For an institution that had grown so big and caused so much damage, it would make sense for the people responsible to cover their tracks as much as possible. And yet documents about their work on Brenda kept popping up in the old locations. Proof of the torture that she, Mr Schue, Terri DelMonico, and April Rhodes had been put through kept showing up in easy to find places.

            Brenda had gotten her revenge.

            Matt still hated her.

            She'd taken away the person he treasured most.

            The only thing he could do now was continue on with fixing everything that Brenda had broken. The first had been Apate itself; which they'd rechristened as The Suzy Pepper Clinic. He along with the government and a reformed Apate staff helped in regulating how to treat patients, introduced therapy sessions for those struggling with their abilities or pollen addiction, and housing patients who felt they were a danger to others.

            It had become the safe house that he, Kurt and Finn envisioned.

            Their friends were doing much better as well.

            Sam had become a kind of mentor for the pollen addicts, having had struggled with it the most. After the events in New York, he'd had no one to hypnotize him and with pollen destroyed, there'd been nothing to keep him in that hypnotized state. Dr. Hope took care of him in reality whilst Finn and Suzy tried healing him in his dreams. The result was dramatic and it gave everyone hope for recovery.

            The two dream wanderers also helped Artie with his guilt over the suicides. He was able to sleep now, and he hadn’t had a nightmare yet, thanks to Suzy ensuring he had nothing but soothing dreams. However, the shadow of sadness hanging over him was still there, and would probably be there for the rest of his life.

            Unfortunately, Mike didn’t fully recover from his coma. When he woke up a month after using his ability, he'd lost a lot of weight and his strength was completely sapped. The doctors had him on strict diets and exercise programs to get him back in shape, but even after gaining back the weight he'd lost, he was still very weak. Walking from his house to the grocery store a few blocks away winded him. Going up the stairs took twice as long. He would also pass out on occasion. It'd gotten so bad that he'd had to quit all of the sports teams he used to participate in, and if glee club was in full swing, he’d probably be sitting out while everyone else danced.

            No medications helped, no amount of extra sleep helped.

            Not even Suzy could help.

            Their friends had to accompany him everywhere he went in case he fainted, but in the end, his time at McKinley was shortened to three days a week. The rest of the time was left for his homeschooling and his visits to the clinic

            Actually. He visited a lot of hospitals nowadays, and not only for his own problems.

            They called him The Grim Reaper. A living entity able to guide the dead to the “Other Side.” Matt heard he could bring them back to life, but that was more life threatening to him and not the natural way his abilities should be used.

            Mike said he was okay with the condition he'd ended up in. He wasn’t willing to give up his ability and this was the price he had to pay. Still, there were times when Matt would see him standing by the gym or outside the football field, watching the teams practice. He hardly showed up to glee club. Giving up dancing was probably the most painful thing he'd had to do.

            Matt stared at Suzy’s gravestone. It was the first time he'd visited in a year. Working alongside the government and the clinic had kept him away from the cemetery, but he honestly hadn't _wanted_ to see her grave. It hurt the first time and he expected it was going to for a long time to come.

            Winter this year wasn’t as bad. Some people walked around in shorts, and snow had yet to fall. Quinn swore she wasn’t the cause, and it was probably true, the forecast was pretty consistent on that part for the whole season.

            Matt only wore a thin jacket today. It felt like spring even though it was near the end of January. Some other people around the cemetery were dressed similarly. Because of his persistent work on reforming Apate and helping with investigations, he was easily recognized. The people he passed by muttered hurriedly behind him, or just looked at him in awe. It was…disconcerting. He was much more comfortable when no one knew who he was and he could sneak around undetected. Right now he was pretty sure some of them were hiding behind trees, trying to get a peek at him.

            He’d been hearing the name every now and then. He wasn’t sure when it had began, and even across the distance they were from him, he could still hear them mutter it under their breath.

            ‘The Shadow’

            Out of everything that happened since Babylon, this is what Matt hated the most. People were now beginning to rebrand the Alice victims into romanticized superheroes. They called him The Shadow because he constantly hovered over the government to keep things running smoothly between them and the clinic. Wearing black probably didn’t help with the imagery either. In the past, black had kept him safe in the shadows, now it was more of a symbol of mourning.

            Which had led to his second nickname, The Widow.

            If he had to choose, he would have preferred to be known as The Shadow.

            Matt clenched his hands in his pockets. The world was running fine, just as promised a year ago. No one was harming the victims, and the victims weren’t taking advantage of their abilities. It seemed okay for now…but he didn’t like where it was going.

            Just a couple of months ago an intense earthquake had hit Cairo and toted a death toll in the hundreds. The numbers would have been higher if Finn hadn’t led a team to the broken city and carried out a mass rescue mission. It was everywhere in the news all over the world and that was what really sparked all the nicknames.

            Imagine being pinned down under a building with no hope of survival when suddenly the silhouette of a child comes down and pulverizes what would have otherwise been your tomb.

            Matt was sure shrines were going to pop up in Eqypt…

            Still, rather than question the age of these ‘superheroes’, or worry about what deadly mistakes these so-called heroes might make in the future, the public had responded to the Cairo rescue with applause.

            It was all too good to be true.

            “You’re right.”

            Matt’s head snapped up at the painfully familiar voice. Someone had approached him from behind and he hadn't sensed her at all.

            His heart jumped to his throat.

            Suzy smiled at him. Unlike in his dreams, she was dressed casually for the weather in jeans, a pale yellow shirt and blue jacket with a healthy glow to her cheeks. Her mousy hair softly blew in the wind and there wasn’t a single hint that she was a ghost.

            “What?” Matt asked in a tiny voice. It was a miracle he could say anything at all.

            “It _is_ too good to be true,” she said sadly.

            He wanted to hug her. He needed to feel that this wasn’t a dream or hallucination. How was this possible? She’d been dead over a year now. Her remains were six feet underground right _next to him!_

            _How_ was this possible!?

            Tears welled up in her eyes as he continued to stare dumbly at her. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I couldn’t keep our promise.”

            He didn’t care. Reaching out, he pulled her in a tight hug. Her small body crushed against his. She felt warm. Her arms wrapped back around him just as tightly. He could feel her sigh into his shoulder. She was real…

            She was real!

            “How are you here?” he asked shakily. Was her death just a hoax? Was she alive this whole time? “How…!?”

            “No…” she buried her head in his shoulder, his fingers buried in her hair. It was just as soft as he’d remembered. Even her scent…

            Matt froze.

            Her scent.

            She had none.

            She'd had a favorite body mist that she'd loved so much that even her room in Apate smelled of it. It wasn’t there.

            Suzy pulled back slightly to look at him, some tears smudging her cheeks. “I’m not back, Matt,” she shook her head. “I’m still dead.”

            No. Matt was holding her. She felt real. Why was she saying this!?

            “But…” he let go to look her up and down, “am I dreaming?” he asked weakly.

            Suzy shook her head. “I…he’d been preparing for a year now. It’s been hard on his body, but he didn’t want to wait any longer. I wanted to see you in the real world,” she wiped her eyes, “and he was worried about you.”

            He was about to ask who, but he realized that he already knew the answer. “Mike,” and it started piecing together. A dead Dream Wanderer and a Grim Reaper, two people who could easily communicate with each other whether conscious or unconscious. “You’re using his body,” he said finally.

            “When he was in his coma, I met him in the bridge between life and death. He was meant to die the night he'd attempted to save all the lives taken during the raids, but I caught him just in time,” she lifted her hands to look at them. Not her own of course, even though they appeared to be. Mike’s hands. “He didn’t care at the time if he died, so long as other lives were saved. I’m not sure if that was his own nature, or the nature of his abilities.”

            “A Grim Reaper’s meant to transition the dead to the next life. He’s been doing that since he woke up,” Matt thought back to the past year. Mike was weak when he revived, but while he was constantly monitored by doctors and medication, the times he stayed at the clinic also helped him to keep the dying patients company. He said that guiding their spirits to ‘The Other Side’ helped him feel stronger.

            “That whole time he was in a coma, I’d been helping him understand his abilities,” Suzy nodded. “He can bring the dead back, but that’s not how his abilities should work, hence why he almost died bringing back sixteen lives in one shot.”

            “And this?” he waved to all of Suzy. “Is this another aspect of what he can do?”

            “Well…” she stared at her hands clenching and unclenching. Probably fascinated that she could do this again. “We thought that if he’s so attuned to spirits, then maybe he could allow his body to be possessed by them. He'd spent a long time trying to strengthen his body and bind with my soul so this could be possible. It’s not the same as what I did with Finn. Since we were both alive the result was my death…” Her hands dropped.

            Matt frowned. Then if Suzy’s soul was in Mike’s body… “And Mike’s soul?”

            “Resting in the Network,” she answered, “he’ll return soon, there won’t be any accidents like what happened to me. He’s in control.”

            “Soon?” he heart sank. “Will I see you again? How often can this happen?”

            “Please Matt,” she reached out and cupped his cheek, “he’s tried his best, but his body’s very weak. The more I possess his body, the closer I am to killing him. A soul cannot be separated from the body so often and for so long…” her eyes were welling up again, “I don’t know when I can come see you like this.”

            It hurt. He took her hand in his. It may have been Mike’s hand, but right now it was soft and small. Right now it was Suzy’s.

            He felt greedy saying it, but… “Can…can you wait for me then?”

            A tear rolled down her cheek. “That’s what I’ve been doing this whole time. Just…” she sniffled, “I don’t want you to be lonely for the rest of your life.”

            “I’m not.”

            “You’re so stubborn,” she laughed lightly. Then her face darkened slightly and she let out a sigh. “I really did want to see you.”

            “What is it?” he knew that face.

            “You’re right about this world being too good to be true. You only have a few more years before this honeymoon cracks.”

            He frowned. From what he understood, Finn had chosen a peaceful future. Marley warned that it wouldn’t last forever, but if they took all precautions, it wouldn’t become disastrous. Suzy was already helping out by keeping the world’s mental state at peace. It all had to do with timing. The problem was not knowing what time to act. “I know. We’ve been preparing.”

            “Keeping people from destroying each other isn’t an easy task,” she said grimly, “it’ll be even harder when they’re triggered by something no one can control.”

            “What?”

            “Natural disasters,” she said it so darkly that Matt felt a chill up his spine. “They’re unpredictable, and are probably going to occur more frequently thanks to some of the abilities of Alice syndrome victims. Controlling the weather, moving the currents of the ocean…even creating valleys or disintegrating them…they all factor in how the planet will make its next move.”

            “We know that,” he said as he raised his eyebrows. “We’ve been helping them control their abilities, some of them don’t even want to leave the clinic.”

            “Yes…but what Castle and…Schue did…” she shook her head and looked up at the sky. “They were able to hypnotize time and bring back the dead. The future Finn chose was the lesser evil out of all the options he had…which means…”

            Matt could feel his jaw set with tension. What Suzy was saying was everything they already knew. Yet, she was talking as if she knew more.

            Time had been manipulated by two hypnotists.

            An Empath gave the world a second chance.

            Their job was to maintain the peace they had even if acts of God tried to disrupt it.

            “Which means what?” he asked.

            Suzy looked at him sadly. “I know Kurt’s working hard for a cure…but the future Finn chose…it has no cure for the victims. You can block abilities, but in the end…a normal life can never be achieved.”

            “Marley said that once,” Matt nodded, remembering that day in a New York hospital. “But blocking abilities can be considered a cure at least. Can’t it?”

            Suzy shook her head again. “I’m sorry.” His heart sank. “There won’t be a cure because in the future those abilities will be needed.”

            He'd thought so. He sighed heavily. In his visits to the clinic he had watched Finn and Kurt work with the other victims. They had been using their abilities more and more the stronger the patients became. It hadn’t come to the point where the patients had to be contained in a solitary room yet but only because, though they were becoming stronger, they were actually mastering their abilities faster. Some had been sent off by the government to help with fires and other kinds of emergencies police or soldiers couldn’t handle. By the looks of it things were steering closer towards something more ominous.

            Cairo was the cherry on top.

            Matt shook his head. No, things weren’t steering towards something ominous, it was already there. The nicknames, the rescues, people worshipping them…

            “You understand, don’t you?” Suzy said sadly. “The clinic is becoming less and less like a clinic and more like a –”

            “Training facility,” Matt finished. “We’re harboring superheroes.”

            Suzy nodded. “I know this isn’t what you wanted.”

            “We’re still kids…”

            “Who will make bad decisions,” she nodded again. “There’s victims who want to be heroes, and victims who want the glory of being a hero.”

            “Damnit,” he muttered. “And Finn…”

            “A block could help stutter his immortality…” Suzy said feebly, as if she wasn’t too sure herself. “But he will live longer than most. Even Kurt.”

            The two were so happy right now.

            “We shouldn’t tell them,” he decided out loud, “if we do they’ll get desperate for a cure and make mistakes. Especially – ”

            His face fell. For a brief second Mike was standing in front of him. Suzy looked down at herself in surprise. She smiled sadly and shrugged. “Looks like my times up.”

            “No…” he'd only had her back for such a short time!

            “I can’t stay here, Mike will die,” her hair was starting to shorten and darken.

            Matt pulled her close, as if that would keep her on earth longer. He could feel her small body begin to change. “Please…”

            Suzy wrapped her arms around him, tears seeping into his shoulder. “Please, Matt. Help protect this world.” Eventually the change in her body slowed to a stop and she fell limp in his arms.

            Though he'd lost a lot of weight, Mike was still a lot heavier than Suzy. Matt stumbled a little, trying to keep from dropping his friend.

            Pale and seconds from passing out, Mike looked up at Matt. “Sorry, I tried to stay out as long as I could.”

            Matt snorted, not sure how else to take the apology. “Hang on, I’ll take you to…” Mike didn’t hear the rest of it, already falling unconscious. “Great,” Matt mumbled, though he couldn’t bring himself to be annoyed.

            Thanks to his friend, he was able to have Suzy in reality for a few moments.

            He looked back to the tombstone. Remembering her last words.

            Protect this world.

            He was in a cemetery holding his unconscious friend with a few onlookers not so secretly watching them from afar, and Suzy was asking him to be the one thing he’d been avoiding this whole time…

            Holding firmly onto Mike and focusing, Matt jumped from the cemetery and into the Suzy Pepper Clinic. Right in the middle of the ER where several nurses and patients jumped away in fright. Unable to keep on his feet from the pain, Matt fell to his knees and just barely managed to keep Mike from slamming his head on the floor.

            Finn and Kurt rushed to the pair before the staff could. Because of their close work with both the clinic and the government, they’d been given high positions in the clinic and were wearing white lab coats. They and Sam were the only three teenagers in uniforms.

            “He pass out again?” Kurt kneeled down and placed a gloved hand over Mike’s forehead.

            “Yeah,” Matt allowed Finn to pull him into a wheelchair. He watched Kurt and the nurses carry Mike onto a stretcher and wheel him to his room. They were accustomed to this happening and always had a room for the Grim Reaper.

            Finn hadn’t left Matt’s side. “Did it work?”

            “Did what…?” Matt looked up sharply at the Empath, “you knew she was coming?” Finn shrugged awkwardly. “Right…Dream Wanderer.” He rubbed his eyes tiredly and scoffed “What else is new?”

            “Mike wasn’t ready yet, but they both wanted to check up on you,” he put a hand on Matt’s shoulder. “You’ve been overworking yourself. You haven’t been sleeping well either.”

            Working with the government as a kind of ambassador for Alice victims wasn’t an easy task. Matt shrugged, “We’re treading a thin line because of Cairo. People think we’re all powerful, and I need to remind them we’re not.”

            “Oh…”

            He raised an eyebrow at the nurse’s exclamation and saw her watching the TV hanging on the wall behind him.

_“…magnitude of 8.6 at 12 PM, there is major damage all over the city, the body toll is estimated to be over one hundred…”_

            The images shown were the remnants of what had been the busy streets of Madrid. It wasn’t clear which streets were which because they all looked the same. Dust and rubble. Matt frowned.

            _“This is the second largest earthquake to hit this year since the first 8.5 in Cairo just four months prior.”_

            Oh no…

            “Two big earthquakes back to back, is that normal?” one of the nurses asked another.

            “It might ignite a tsunami elsewhere…”

            Matt gripped the handles on his wheelchair. This was what Suzy had been warning him about. It was happening already.

            Did she know this would happen?

            Is that why she chose to visit him on this particular day?

            ‘Click!’

            He looked down at his wrist in surprise. Finn and slapped on a plain white bracelet with small glowing green dot. It looked like the prototype Kurt had been working on, but thicker. “What is this?”

            “It’s a symptom block,” Finn said simply, removing his coat. He was in casual jeans black t-shirt and red flannel shirt. Just like any other teenager. “We developed it for victims who want to help with their abilities without the painful side effects. You can jump without getting stomach pains.”

            Matt stared at the bracelet. A funny feeling crawled up his spine. Suzy’s visit. The earthquakes. This bracelet. It wasn’t a coincidence at all.

            “Cairo wasn’t just a happening for us. You’ve been preparing the victims to be superheroes.”

            Finn frowned, “Marley’s abilities are mine now. I can choose futures, but I can also see what’s going to happen in this one. There’s going to be more catastrophes. We need to be prepared for them.”

            “I didn’t mean like this!” Matt shot out of his wheelchair, ignoring the fact that his stomachache was gone. “I wanted to keep things peaceful and have the victims work toward keeping their abilities in check not…” he waved his hands about wildly, “not go out there and make ourselves look even less human!” he dropped his hands to his sides. “One side’s going to worship us, and the other will condemn us as false gods.”

            “I know.” Finn looked at the TV, “but there’s a lot of us willing to take that chance anyway. There’s going to be more trouble because of what we did. We need to make up for it.”

            Behind the Empath, Matt could see Rachel and several others kids rushing towards them. Some were wearing the same bracelet he was unceremoniously given. They looked like an awkwardly aged group of brats ready to go jump a bridge.

            Did Suzy really want this?

            These kids didn’t. He could see it in their faces.

            But they were here of their own free will.

            He was ok with helping people and making sure the victims had a good image, but once they start going out for bigger rescues and displaying their strength to the world…

            Even if Suzy could keep the world’s views positive. The victims would no longer be seen as people again.

            “Matt?” Finn knocked him out of his thoughts. “We’re going to Madrid. You can stay or come with us, but it won’t change what’s going to happen.”

            “Didn’t you want to live a normal life more than anyone?” Matt asked, feeling a sting of betrayal.

            Finn didn’t answer immediately. The year had been busy for him, but he'd managed to always find time for his family and school life. It was hard to tell if he was tired. It was even harder to tell if he wanted the life he had before Apate.

            “If someone’s in trouble, and I have the ability to help them…I’ll help them,” Finn answered finally. “I can’t live on, being scared of the world falling on me because I can do things others can’t. If there’s people who will hate us then that’s fine,” he shrugged, “but there’ll be people who will want our help too. These earthquakes are just the start of what’s going to happen.”

            He was right. Matt knew he was right.

            But damnit, this was frustrating!

            Hesitantly, he reached out his hand. Finn took it and reached behind him for anyone to grab his hand.

            Matt watched as their small group one by one started holding hands. They were the same kids who went to Cairo. A lot of telekinetics and healers. If this was going to continue, their group was going to get larger and eventually these kids would be leading their own teams on rescue missions.

            The clinic really was becoming a training center.

            “Hold tight,” Matt warned, “I’ve never taken this many people across the globe.”

            Nervousness crossed their eyes, but they held tighter. With a loud bang, the group had jumped out of Lima, Ohio, and into Madrid, Spain.

            Nurses and doctors who’d been watching with interest immediately turned to the TV to see kids suddenly appear in the air and spread out and begin their rescue.

            The reporter on site was on an uproar. _“They’re here! The children from the Cairo rescue are here!”_

            As Matt jumped from building to building, bringing out people trapped inside, he couldn’t doubt that what they were doing was good. Lives were being saved, they would be shown in positive light…

            And yet…

            He jumped into a collapsed shopping mall. Several people who were crushed under fallen pillars and rubble looked up at him, the despair in their eyes melting away to tears of relief. Years from now he knew half of them would be bitter and the other half grateful.

            Some would worship them.

            Others condemn them.

            Suzy’s words rang again in his head.

            Protect this world.

            Once outside with the last of those stuck under the mall, Matt looked up at the sky and let out a long sigh. If this was what Suzy wanted, then fine. He would do everything he could to keep this world safe until the day he breathed his last.

            Then once it was all over for him.

            He could finally be with her again.

 

 


End file.
